Kenya: Meeting Shelves As AK, Soya Mourn Wanjiru

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

18 May 2011

Athletics Kenya (AK) have called off a special track and field weekend meeting earlier scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Nyayo Stadium following the death of Olympic marathon champion Samuel Kamau Wanjiru on Sunday night. The event was supposed to be a forum for more top athletes to qualify for the World Championships and all Africa Games.

In a press statement signed by AK public relations officer Peter Angwenyi, the federation expressed shock and disbelief over the sudden death of Wanjiru. He described the marathoner’s death as a big blow to Kenya and the world of athletics at large.”The federation takes this sad moment to send the condolences to the family of Samuel Wanjiru and all the friends who the Olympian had associated with in the world of athletics,” said the statement in part. The dates for the special meeting will now be communicated later.

Elsewhere, Sports Personality of the Year (SOYA) secretary Simon Chebon also expressed the association’s agony on learning of the athletes’ death. “It is with shock and disbelieve to learn of the sudden death of one of the hugely talented distance runners of our country (Samuel Wanjiru),” said Chebon. “As one of our Sportsman of the Year winner in 2008, we at SOYA secretariat feel a monumental sense of loss of our champion, especially given the preliminary reports of how he may have met his death.”

“At this time of sorrow, we would like to condole with the family and the entire sporting fraternity, especially athletics, and assure of SOYA’s prayers to go through this trying moment,” he added. Chebon observed it is SOYA’s desire to ultimately help sports people live wholesome and reward lives, both at their budding, prime or retirement stages of their careers and called upon them to find time to socialise and share their joys and challenges for the sake of mentorship, mutual support and guidance.

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