Kenya’s athletic community has been hit by another death in two weeks after a Kenyan, Charles Kipsang died on Saturday February 24, 2024 after a mountain race in Cameroon.

Local media in Cameroon reported that Kipsang collapsed and died shortly after the mountain race in the country. 

“A Kenyan runner died of a suspected heart attack after collapsing at the finish of Saturday’s Cameroon mountain race, Africa’s oldest international athletic competition, according to officials,” says  Xinhua.

According to Bernard Okalai Bilia, Governor of the Southwest region where the race took place, Kipsang led until the last kilometer when he suffered a malaise that forced him to stop a few meters to the finish line.

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Speaking to Xinhua, Billia confirmed that the 33-year-old Kenyan athlete managed to cross the finish line before collapsing. 

Organizers of the race rushed Charles Kipsang to hospital as he was confirmed dead upon arrival at the medical facility. 

However, Governor Billia noted that he was shocked by Kipsang’s death since they could not know exactly what caused his death since he appeared healthy before the race.

“We might believe that it is something like a heart attack,” Bilia told reporters.

“It is a very sad situation because he was at his fourth participation. It is a great loss for the African athletic federation, for his country Kenya, and for us Cameroon,” he added.

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The mountain race had attracted over 600 runners from Congo, Ethiopia, France, Kenya, Lebanon, Morocco, Tanzania, Chad, Tunisia and Cameroon.

This kind of race usually involves athletes going up and down the mountain that is over 4,100 meters above sea level. 

Meanwhile, on Friday February 23, 2024, Kenyans and the global community bid farewell to Kenyan world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum as he was laid to rest in Elgeyo Marakwet County.  

Kiptum lost his life in a car accident on February 11, 2024, along the Eldama Ravine-Eldoret highway alongside his coach Gervais Hakizimana.

READ ALSO: Three individuals who visited Kiptum prior to his death arrested