17-year-old Kenyan athletics champion is forced to release his passport and birth certificate after people expressed doubts over his age
- Trolls questioned how old Zakayo Pingua’s was, saying he was ‘Benjamin Button’
- But his club Benfica in Portugal released copies of passport and birth certificate
- Documents show he was born in Narok on November 25, 2001, making him 17
A Kenyan athlete has been forced to release his passport to prove he is 17 after online trolls raised doubts over his age.
Zakayo Pingua’s club Benfica, in Lisbon, Portugal, hit back by releasing copies of his passport and birth certificate.
The teenage athlete’s age was brought into question after he won the under-20s 5,000m race at the Diamond League meet in Rabat, Morocco, on June 16.
Zakayo Pingua (pictured with a Benfica FC shirt) has faced questions on social media over his age
Zakayo, who is also the African champion for 5,000m at under-20’s level, came under attack from social media users as they claimed he was older than 17.
One man wrote on social media: ‘I think this could be a case like that of Benjamin Button.’
Another account said: ‘He looks like my dad.’
Zakayo (pictured after the 5000m race in Rabat, Morocco on June 16), who is a member of the Benfica athletics team in Lisbon, Portugal, is also the African champion for 5,000 metres at under-20’s level. But social media users quickly hit out and claimed he was older than 17
Zakayo Pingua’s club Benfica, in Lisbon, Portugal, hit back by releasing copies of his passport (pictured)
The club also released an image from his birth certificate that confirms he was born in Narok, Kenya, on November 25, 2001, making him 17 years old. Zakayo and Benfica have not officially commented
And one added: ‘His eldest grandson is 17 years old.’
But Benfica has now released photos of his passport and birth certificate to silence any doubters – and has reportedly condemned the backlash over Zakayo.
The documents show he was born in Narok, Kenya, on November 25, 2001, making him 17.
Zakayo (centre) is registered with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) with the same date of birth which appears in his passport and birth certificate
The teenage champion has moved into the top ten in the world at the 5,000 metres this season and is the youngest athlete in the top ten
He ran 13 minutes and 3 seconds at the Diamond League meeting in Rome this year, the ninth fastest in the world this season
The birth certificate was issued on March 17, 2016, when Zakayo was just 14.
Zakayo is registered with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) with the same date of birth which appears in his passport and birth certificate.
The teenage champion has moved into the top ten in the world at 5,000m this season and is the youngest athlete in the top ten.
He ran 13 minutes and 3 seconds at the Diamond League meet in Rome this year, the ninth fastest in the world this season.
Zakayo and Benfica have not commented.