The Kenyan athletics governing body, Athletics Kenya, has once again been thrown into mourning following the death of another of its high profile athlete, Charles Kipkorir Kipsang, who collapsed and died on Saturday while competing in the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, which was held in the city of Buea, the capital of Cameroon’s south west region.
Governor of the Buea region, Bernard Okalai Bilia, who broke the news of the death of Kipsang, said the 33-year-old athlete was leading the race but suffered what seemed a cardiac arrest that forced him to briefly stop minutes to the finish line.
Bilia said Kipsang “ultimately crossed the finishing line, but collapsed and died shortly afterwards.”
“We cannot say exactly what happened. He was fine. He was good after the race. We might believe that it is something like heart attack,” the governor told journalists.
While reacting to the death of Kipsang which brings to three deaths of the country’s high profile athletes in one month,
Athletics Kenya said in statement that it was saddened with the development a few weeks after the death of marathon record holder, Kelvin Kiptum who died in a tragic car crash on February 11.
“This is indeed very sad considering it is coming just a day after burying the world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum who died in a tragic road accident, and when we are preparing to bury the legendary Henry Rono,” the body said in a statement shared on X.
“We are in touch with the athletics authority and Cameroonian government and will keep you posted on the next steps,” the statement added.
The Mount Cameroon Race of Hope is an annual endurance marathon race held on the slopes of Mount Cameroon known for its gruelling and tortuos routes because of the mountain’s steep terrain.