Clement Kemboi dead at 32: Former African Games champion’s body found as tributes pour in
AFRICAN GAMES champion Clement Kemboi has been found dead at the age of 32.
The body of the former Kenyan athlete was found by police in the town of Iten in his home country on Monday.
Kemboi’s body has been taken to Iten County Referral Hospital morgue and is awaiting an autopsy.
He is best-known for winning the 3000m steeplechase at the 2015 African Games.
Kemboi’s personal best time in the distance came at the Doha Diamond League in 2016 when he ran eight minutes and 10.65 seconds.
This earned him sixth place, five and a half seconds behind winner Conseslus Kipruto.
Kemboi’s PB in the regular 3000m was 7:51:65.
His passing comes after 2016 World Athletics Under-20 800m champion Kipyegon Bett died on Sunday.
Kenyan Bett had been in and out of hospital with a liver problem, before his sister confirmed his death.
Purity Kirui told BBC Sport Africa: “He had been sick, complaining of stomach pains for about a month. The doctors said he had a liver problem and had been in and out of hospital.
“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.”
Bett was a promising runner in his youth and followed up his junior world championship success by winning world bronze in London in 2017.
But a year later Bett was hit with a four-year doping ban and he struggled on his return, with his sister revealing he “started drinking a lot”.
His coach Japheth Kemei described Bett as a gifted athlete and he expected him to make a comeback after his ban, but suggested Bett was unable to due to his battles with depression.