Nicholas Kiplagat Bett , a Kenyan athlete, passed away tragically in a car accident on Wednesday morning.
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – MARCH 08: Nicholas Bett competes in the Men Senior 400m Hurdles during the 2018 Liquid Telecom Athletix Grand Prix Series at Tuks Stadium on March 08, 2018 in Pretoria, South Africa.
(Photo by Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images)
This was just a day after returning from 21st CAA African Senior Championships in Asaba, Nigeria.
According to Nandi police commander Patrick Wambani, the 28 year-old former 400m Hurdles 2015 world champion, seemed to lose control after the car hit bumps along Eldoret-Kapsabet road in Sochoi area and rolled.
Eldoret and Kapsabet, are two of Kenya’s famed distance-running training towns in the Rift Valley region in the west of the country and are also renowned for high altitude training.
Bett’s twin brother, Aron, is also an athlete and was part of the Kenyan 4×400 team that won gold at African championships in Asaba last week.
“This are sad news and most difficult to swallow,” pointed out a saddened Aleck Skhosana, the President of ASA.
“It is a big blow to African athletics, to Kenya and the world.
“In particular, we had expected him to grow to become one of the best in the coaching of 400m athletes in benefit of Kenyan and all athletes in the continent and beyond upon retirement.
“We remember him also for winning the bronze medals at the African championships in 2014 in the 400 Hurdles and 4x400m Relay.
“We express our deepest condolences to his twin brother Aron, the Bett family, Athletics Kenya and the rest of the nation for this tragic and unexpected loss.”
