Renowned Kenyan athlete Charles Kipsang met a sad end to his illustrious career recently. In what was a tragic incident, the 32-year-old passed away while competing in the 29th edition of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope. Such a sudden and shocking loss has enveloped the entire community in deep sorrow. 

Charles Kipsang leaves behind a lacunae

Kipsang, who looked healthy and showed no signs of health issues, collapsed midway while participating in a mountain race. As soon as the incident took place, a stunned silence prevailed amidst the crowd. The medical team arrived instantly and tried their best to revive the athlete. 

Unfortunately, all their efforts went in vain as Kipsang breathed his last. According to official reports, the athlete’s cause of death has been stated as a heart attack. Ironically, the 32-year-old showed glimpses of his immense talent in the last race he participated in. Kipsang ran steadily and was enjoying a healthy lead until the dreadful moment arrived. Although he looked quite worked up from all the stress, there were no definitive signs of a major health issue.

Kipsang, participating in the Senior Men’s Category in the Mount Cameroon Race, finished in 16th position. But a few minutes after crossing the finish line, things took an unexpected turn as he suddenly collapsed on the ground. Medical experts immediately rushed to take care of the situation. He was immediately taken to the nearby hospital, Buea Regional Hospital, but unfortunately failed to save the life of the 32-year-old Kenyan athlete. 

The event was being held at the Molyko Stadium. After he was taken to the hospital, the authorities distributed the medals, trophies, and honors to the winners. But soon after the end of the event, on the very same evening, Kipsang was declared dead by the hospital.

Read More: Half Marathon Turns Tragic as 30-Year-Old Runner Dies Under Mysterious Conditions

Bernard Okalia Bilai, the South West Governor, stated that it’s still unclear what took the life of the athlete. Narrating the heartbreaking incident, Okalia Bilai said, “When the Minister and myself had left the stadium, some 30 minutes after, we were informed that when he was going to collect his own prize, he fell down [and] collapsed” He further added that Kipsang was seemingly doing well immediately after the race as he also had a conversation with Mr. Motombi, the President of the Federation.

During the course of the race, Kipsang suddenly stopped for a while. He was quite close to the finish line. Pausing for a few seconds, he continued and finished the race. Such a sudden death of the young athlete has left the athletics realm grief-stricken.

Continue to Read: 19 Year Old College Athlete Loses His Life After Excessive Training Period Exertion