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Remembering the sports personalities Kenya lost in 2024
Reading Time: 4min | Wed. 01.01.25. | 11:11
Former AFC Leopards forward Ezekiel Otuoma died on Saturday 21, December 2024 after a long battle with Motor Neurone Disease
The cruel hand of death robbed the country of incredible sportsmen in 2024.
It was truly a tough year for the sports industry as seasoned and upcoming athletes lost their lives.
Even though they are no longer with us, the country can not afford to forget their contributions.
Mozzart Sport looks at some of the sports personalities the country lost in the year.
Kelvin Kiptum Cheruiyot
Marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum died in a road accident that also claimed the life of his coach Gervais Hekizimana on Sunday, 11 February 2024.
The news of Kiptum’s death sent shockwaves across the nation and indeed across the world.
Before his death, Kiptum was gearing to write history as the first man to run an official race in under two hours in April.
Kiptum broke the men’s marathon record after completing the Chicago Marathon in two hours and 35 seconds on 8 October 2023, becoming the first man to run a marathon under two hours and one minute.
At the time of his death, he was only 24 years old.
The father of two was accorded a state burial with President William Ruto in attendance.
Kipyegon Bett
At only the age of 26, Kenyan middle-distance runner specializing in 800 meters Kipyegon Bett breathed his last on Sunday 6, October 2024 in Bomet County.
Prior to his death, Bett had complained of stomach pains before the doctors said, he had a liver problem.
Bett checked in and out of the hospital for about a month according to his family.
Bett was the 2016 World U 20 800 meters and a bronze medal winner at the London 2017 World Championships.
However, his promising career was halted in 2018 when he received a four-year doping ban and struggled on his return.
Clement Kemboi
2015 African Games 3,000 meters steeplechase champion Clement Kemboi was found dead in Iten town on Monday 7 October in what was a suspected case of suicide.
The body of Kemboi who was aged 32 by the time of his death had started decomposing by the time it was found according to then Elgeyo Marakwet County Police Commander Peter Mulinge.
Simon Kandie
Retired Marathoner Simon Kandie was murdered on Thursday 3, October 2024 at his Elgon View home in Eldoret City.
Kandie, who died aged 53 years, is remembered for his heroics in the 2002 Sapporo marathon and 2004 Vienna Marathon where he won gold on both occasions.
Police reports indicate that Kandie was involved in a long domestic feud with his wife.
Kandie was found having been severely beaten with both his hands and legs tied.
The assailants fled with only his phone and nothing else from his house.
His wife, Rose Chepkemboi Rotich, has since emerged as a prime suspect in his murder and, was charged in the Eldoret High Court on 12 November alongside Jamlik Kiptoon Morogit and Vincent Ng’ososei Kiprono.
Rebecca Cheptegei
Cheptegei was a Ugandan marathoner, who was born and raised in the Kenyan-Ugandan border area but chose to represent Uganda.
She spent most of her life in Kenya where she trained and also had built her home.
The mother of two passed away on Thursday 5, September as a result of multiple organ failure.
This was after she was set ablaze by her Ex-boyfriend three days earlier.
Dickson Ndiema Marangach, who was the ex-boyfriend, also succumbed to injuries that he got from the burns on Monday 7, October.
Willy Chelewa
28-year-old Willy Chelewa’s lifeless body was found in his house on Tuesday 17, September in a search after failing to appear for training for three days.
Chelewa's door was locked from inside prompting his colleague to break in where they found his body.
The body had no visible signs of injury.
Ezekiel Otuoma
Former AFC Leopards forward Ezekiel Otuoma died on Saturday 21, December 2024 after a long battle with Motor Neurone Disease - a rare condition that progressively damages the nervous system.
The former Ushuru player was first diagnosed with the disease in May 2021 which forced him out of active football and his condition became worse with each passing day.
He would later lose his speech and movement among others and was confined to a wheelchair and received palliative care mainly from his wife Rachael Otuoma.
The footballing world and Kenyans at large stood with the player during his illness through various fund drives in support of his medication.
Kenyan football matches observed a minute of silence in honor of the former Muhoroni Youth man on the weekend of 21 and 22 December.
Francis Nyatome
Legendary race starter Francis Nyatome passed away on Thursday 5, September 2024.
Nyatome was a footballer before making a switch to the track where he majored in the 400-meter race.
Janet Wanja
The hand of death also claimed volleyball and Kenya sports legend Janet Wanja.
The 40-year-old took a rest from her earthly labors following a brave battle with gallbladder cancer.
The former Kenya Pipeline player was diagnosed with the disease in August 2024 and breathed her last on Friday 27, December.
At just 20 years of age, Wanja competed for Kenya at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, the same year that she joined KCB.
She stayed at KCB for a year before joining Kenya Pipeline where she plied her trade until her retirement in 2019.
The decorated athlete secured five African Nations Championships, three All-Africa Games titles, and the World Grand Prix title.
Wanja will be buried on Friday 3 January 2025 at Lang'ata cemetery in Nairobi.
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