Bureti: Residents of Manguset/Chelilis village in Kericho County have joined hands to support the family of Aaron Kiplangat Kemboi, who suddenly passed away during school athletic competitions. The sudden death of the 16-year-old Kiplangat shocked schoolmates, teachers, and the entire village since there were no signs of any grave sickness.
According to Kenya News Agency, the junior secondary student at Chelilis School collapsed and died moments after winning a shot put competition during the school’s sports day. Witnesses said that he had emerged victorious in the field event, after which he suddenly lost consciousness.
Some teachers, in the company of some students, quickly rushed him to Chelilis Clinic, where he received first aid before being transferred to Litein Hospital. He was then referred to Kapkatet Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. ‘At first, we thought it was just exhaustion, but when he did not wake up, we knew something was wrong,’ said Kipkorir, one of his classmates.
His father, Samuel Cheruiyot, expressed deep sorrow, adding that the family is waiting for postmortem results to determine the cause of death. He revealed that Kiplang’at had a history of epilepsy but said they cannot conclude whether the condition contributed to his death. ‘We are in pain and want answers about what happened to our son,’ Cheruiyot said.
The school administration has also mourned the loss, describing Kiplangat as a disciplined and hard-working student who was very passionate about sports. The untimely death has robbed the village of a promising young athlete.