Sports

Female survivor in late Kiptum’s car recounts final moments

Published

10 months ago

February 17, 2024

The only survivor in the fatal road accident that claimed the lives of Kenyan world marathon record holder, Kelvin Kiptum, and his Rwandese coach, Garvis Hakizimana, has recounted the moments leading up to the crash.

According to Elgeyo Marakwet Police Commander Peter Mulinge, the lady, Sharon Chepkurui Kosgei who survived the tragic crash, has provided her statement to the authorities after coming out of coma.

Mulinge who spoke to journalists on investigations into the accident, disclosed that the police were able to get details from Kosgei that will continue to assist in the investigations.

“We were able to record Sharon Kosgei’s statement yesterday. The investigations are still ongoing, and once we are done, we will deliver our findings to the public,” Mulinge said.

“Sharon Kosgei stated that at the time of the accident, she saw the driver of the vehicle, Mr. Kelvin Kiptum, stepping onto the road. She alerted him but was unable to control the vehicle.”

The police commissioner said Kosgei painted a vivid picture of the chaos and desperation that unfolded on the Eldoret-Ravine road in Keiyo South Sub-County, Elgeyo Marakwet County.

“Following the crash, Kosgei was rushed to Racecourse Hospital and later transferred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, Usain Gishu County, where she underwent treatment for injuries sustained during the accident,” he said.

“Medical personnel attending to Kosgei reported that she received a stitch on her head and suffered bruises on her arm, necessitating her discharge from the hospital.”

Kiptum became a world marathon record holder when he set a time of 2:00:35 in the Chicago Marathon in October last year after switching to running the marathon from shorter distance races a year before.

At the London Marathon, he set a record pace and improved his personal best time by 50 seconds to beat the 2:01:09 record set by fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, widely considered the greatest marathoner of all time.

Kiptum broke the course record for the London Marathon, winning the men’s event in the second-fastest marathon in history, crossing the finish line in two hours, one minute and 25 seconds.

His coach, Hakizimana, 36, was a former professional athlete from Rwanda who participated in different races from the 5,000 meter to the half marathon.

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Sports

Coach of Mamelodi Sundowns female team suspended over sexual harassment allegations

Published

3 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns women’s team, Jerry Tshabalala, has been suspended indefinitely amid allegations of sexual harassment of players.

A statement by the management of the top South African team said the 44-year-old Tshabalala, who has been in charge of Sundowns’s women’s team for over a decade, has been accused of a number of allegations, including making inappropriate sexual comments to his players, as well as entering the dressing room and refusing to leave while players are completely naked.

In a statement released on Saturday, Sundowns said they had appointed a law firm to investigate the allegations against the coach with specific instructions to unravel allegations of improper conduct by the Tshabalala.

The club said it views the allegations in a very serious light and has relieved the coach of his appointment pending when the investigations are concluded.

“Sundowns has, in the interim, put Coach Jerry Tshabalala on special leave pending the outcome of the investigation,” the club statement said.

“This is not done to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation, but to ensure that the investigation can proceed expeditiously and protect the rights of all parties.

“In the event that the investigation establishes facts that warrant action, the Board will immediately take such steps as are appropriate.

“Mamelodi Sundowns will in due course make announcements on the findings of the investigation and the action to be taken,” the statement concluded.

The Sundowns female team have been a dominant force in women’s football in South Africa and on the continent since Tshabalala took over in 2012, winning seven domestic league titles, as well as two CAF Women’s Champions League crowns.

Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)