Kenya has been known to produce some of the greatest athletes but sometimes, their lives are cut short.
The latest devastating case of an athlete dying mysteriously has been that of the world’s fastest marathoner, Kelvin Kiptum, who lost his life in a road accident. Kiptum was with his coach, Gervais Hakizimana.
This is the list of some great Kenyan athletes who have dreadfully lost their lives.
1. Samwel Wanjiru
On the early morning of July 20, 2010, Kenyan athlete Samuel Wanjiru, Jason Mbote, and Arthur Mwangi skidded and crashed as their car plummeted downhill along the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway, landing in a ditch. Coming home from a party held by Wanjiru at his rural home, the trio lost their lives in the ill-fated road accident.
Wanjiru was a world star, having in 2008, created an Olympic marathon record in Beijing to become the first Kenyan to win a gold medal in the event. At 21, Wanjiru was a young, talented athlete and a role model, especially among the youth. The death of the nation's hero and that of his friend Mbote sent the country in disbelief and mourning. Wanjiru was the most openly celebrated Kenyan athlete in his home country largely due to his immense talent and easy approach to big races.
Instead of shying away from the pressure concomitant to being a top athlete and national hero, the Beijing Olympian embraced and openly talked about his next target; to win the London 2012 Olympics marathon race. His death just two years to the UK Olympics not only caused resentment but brought to the fore the dangerous state of roads in Kenya, government's failure to put in place strong road safety intervention measures, and leadership lapses in sports sector.
Kenya, with its record of outstanding long distance runners, had not experienced a tragedy of such magnitude in a country known for safety in long distance runners' training and daily road running experiences. The death of Wanjiru was attributed to negligence but the exact driver leading him to the balcony where the athlete jumped to escape mob beating from the residents of his home was never determined.
2) Agnes Tirop (1995-2021)
The demise of Agnes Tirop was once that shocked the whole world since the youngster was just beginning her glamorous career. Tirop was one of the greatest female long-distance runners from Kenya, who was known worldwide for her talent.She won bronze medals in the 10,000m race at the 2017 and 2019 World Athletics Championships. At the 2015 World Cross Country Championships, Tirop became the second-youngest-ever gold medallist in the women's race, after Zola Budd. At the time of her death in 2021, she was the world record holder in the 10-kilometre women-only event.
Tirop was found dead in her home in Iten, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, on 13 October 2021; she had multiple stab wounds in the neck and abdomen. Authorities believe a domestic altercation occurred and Tirop was stabbed, as they also found her car windows had been shattered.
3) Kelvin Kiptum (1999-2024)
The world of athletics was left in utter shock after the world’s fastest marathoner, Kelvin Kiptum, was confirmed dead one Sunday night. Kiptum, the reigning London Marathoner, was in the company of his coach and an woman when he was involved in an accident that left himself and his coach dead. The woman sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital.
The Chicago Marathon champion came to the marathon realm with a bang and he was just getting started. He made his full marathon debut at the 2022 Valencia Marathon where he posted the fastest time in a debut.He then proceeded to the 2023 London Marathon, clocking the now-third-fastest time before completely obliterating Eliud Kipchoge’s world record time at the Chicago Marathon.
4) Nicholas Bett (1992-2018)
Nicholas Bett was one of the most promising athletes Kenya had but his life was sadly cut short after an accident. He was a World Champion in the 400m Hurdles race, having won in 2015, and a two-time bronze medallist at the African Championships in Athletics.
Bett died in a road accident near the town of Lessos, in Nandi County, in August 2018. He had arrived back from the 2018 African Championships in Athletics in Nigeria two days earlier, and was driving along the Kapsabet to Eldoret road on his way back to Nairobi.
Bett lost control of his car, a Toyota Prado SUV, which then hit a bump on the road and landed in a ditch, killing the athlete instantly.
5) David Lelei (1971-2010)
David Lelei was a Kenyan middle-distance runner who specialized in the 800m and 1500m and became an athletics official and a political candidate but died in a vehicle accident in 2010.He was involved in a road accident along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, about 200km from Nairobi. Lelei won silver at 1500m at the 1999 All-African Games, and later that summer finished seventh over the same distance at the World Championships. He was fourth at the 2001 World Indoor Championships in the 800m.
In the car with Lelei was Moses Tanui, 1996 and 1998 Boston Marathon winner and 1991 World 10,000m champion over the 10,000m, who sustained minor injuries.
These are some of the few athletes who have tragically lost their lives as there are more.The question that remains is, does government do anything to protect these legends who we lost when they are at their time of prime?
STORY BY MAXWELL OMONDI, Second Year Student pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication in Chuka University
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