The world of athletics is mourning the passing of a bright, future star in Gilbert Kwemoi, who collapsed at his home in Kenya on Friday 13 August and was pronounced dead later in hospital. Kwemoi had won gold in athletics in Nanjing in 2014.
Exactly 7 years ago, Nanjing was gripped in the excitement of hosting the second ever Youth Olympics, following the event’s debut in Singapore 4 years earlier.
Kwemoi stormed to victory in the boy’s 1,500 metres on 24 August, then aged 17, with a time of 3 minutes, 41.99 seconds. It was a then personal best for Kwemoi, being fully 4 seconds faster than his win in the semi finals.
In Kenya, the gold-medal winner had collapsed at his home in Kitale, an agricultural town in the far western part of the country. He died after being rushed to the town’s Mt. Elgon Hospital, reports Kenyan digital media and news platform, Tuko.
Kwemoi’s coach, Isaac Kirwa, confirmed the athlete had been battling a short illness, reports Nairobi-based Kenyans.co.ke. Kwemoi was also said to have had a headache prior to collapsing.
Kenya’s Senate Speaker, Kenneth Lusaka, has been quoted as saying, “During our brief tête-à-tête, he struck me as a focused and hardworking young man who would not let anything stop him from shattering world records. Sad that we lost him before he attained his full potential. My deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, the people of Mt. Elgon and the entire athletics fraternity during this difficult time”.
After his win in Nanjing, Kwemoi went on to win a silver medal for Kenya in 2015, when competing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the African Under20 Championships.
The following year, he recorded another personal best in the 1,500 metres in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, with a time of 3 minutes, 33.71 seconds.
Coach Kirwa stated, “It is true that we have lost him at a young age. He was a promising athlete”.
