October 7 brought another heartbreaking loss for Kenya in what has already been a tough year for the Track & Field community. We’ve seen some incredible talents slip away this year, and it’s really hitting hard. Just a few months ago, we were all celebrating Faith Kipyegon’s amazing achievement as the first woman in the Paris Olympics to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 1,500 meters—what a proud moment that was—for her and her country, Kenya! But now, that joy is mixed with sadness as we mourn the passing of a 26-year-old athlete, making it the third Kenyan star we’ve lost this year.

Well, it started with Kelvin Kiptum, Rebecca Cheptegei, and now Kipyegon Bett—it’s really unfortunate!

Just recently, we lost Kipyegon Bett, a talented 26-year-old athlete, who passed away on Sunday, October 7th, at 12:40 PM in Tenwek Hospital in Bomet County, Kenya, after a brief illness. Bett was a former world under-20 athletics champion.

Sadly, Bett’s promising career faced a huge setback in 2018 when he received a four-year doping ban. It’s heartbreaking to see such talent cut short, especially given his potential in the 800 meters. His sister, Purity Kirui, shared that he had been experiencing stomach pains for about a month, and doctors discovered he had liver issues.

Kirui recalled, “Last week we took him to hospital after he started vomiting blood and he was admitted. I went to see him [on Sunday] morning and he told me he was in pain. He told our dad, who is a pastor, to pray for him because he didn’t feel he would survive and after 12 noon he died. We tried everything to save him, but he left us. It’s very painful.”

Athletics Kenya official Barnaba Korir described him as “one of the most talented half-milers” around, but things became really tough for him after the doping ban. Kirui mentioned that the ban took a serious toll on her brother; he turned to drink and struggled with depression, making it hard for him to get back into athletics even after his suspension ended in August 2022. They had even planned to help him get into a rehabilitation center, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen in time.

Another Track & Field star has also died in Kenya, and this time it was the tragic homicide of Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei by her former partner. The 33-year-old Ugandan athlete died on September 5th, just days after the culprit doused her in petrol and set her on fire at her home in Trans Nzoia County. Her ex-boyfriend Dickson Ndiema Marangach, who was under investigation for previous threats against her, was behind this brutal attack.

Even though Rebecca Cheptegei was born on the Kenyan side of the Kenya-Uganda border on February 22, 1991, she eventually moved to the village of Chepkum. There, she bought property so she could be closer to athletic training centers.

Cheptegei had been living in fear after ending their relationship earlier this year, and despite her efforts to seek police intervention, they failed to protect her. It’s especially heartbreaking considering this year started with the unexpected loss of a promising 24-year-old athlete, making this a really painful time for everyone involved in track & field.

Track & Field Legend is gone too soon

Even Kelvin Kiptum, the outstanding athlete who shattered the world marathon record too, passed away in a car crash on February 11, 2024, in Kaptagat, western Kenya. His death was a huge loss not only for his family and friends but also for the entire track & field community. Alongside him, his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, was also killed in the accident.

The details surrounding the crash were heartbreaking. Kiptum was reportedly driving when he veered off the road, crashed into a ditch, and then struck a large tree. He and Hakizimana passed away instantly in the accident; however, Sharon Kosgei was injured in the incident. Kiptum had accomplished achievements during his time as an athlete; he claimed his first marathon win in Valencia in 2022 with a remarkable time of 2 hours, 1 minute, and 53 seconds.

This year has been really tough for Kenya Track & Field, with the losses we’ve experienced being quite a blow to the community and fans. Talented individuals, like Kelvin Kiptum, Rebecca Cheptegei, and Kipyegon Bett, leaving us way too soon is truly heartbreaking. It’s difficult to comprehend losing stars in such a period of time.