Former multiple world record holder Henry Rono dies

The athletics fraternity has once again been thrown into mourning following the death of former athlete Henry Rono who died aged 72.

In an announcement sent to newsrooms, Athletics Kenya disclosed that the legendary athlete succumbed to a short illness at a Nairobi Hospital on Thursday.

Rono represented Kenya at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada where he bagged gold in the men’s 3000m steeplechase and 5000m. The same year he also bagged gold in 3000m steeplechase and 10,000m at the All Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria.

He also made history by breaking four world records over 3000m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m and 10,000m.

Rono was however not lucky to compete at the Olympics stage as Kenya boycotted both the 1976 and 1980 Games held in Montreal, Canada and Moscow, Russia respectively,

Born in Kiptaragon Village in Nandi County, Rono would later relocate to the US in 1986 where he spent 33 years before returning home in 2019.

His death comes at a time when the nation and the world is still in mourning following the demise of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach Gervais Hakizimana who died in a tragic road accident on Sunday.