Luke Kibet Hit in Head by Stone in Kenyan Election Violence By David Monti (c) 2008 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved January 3, 2008
World
marathon champion Luke Kibet suffered a head wound which required
hospitalization when he was struck by a stone tossed by an angry mob
outside of Eldoret, his Dutch manager Frans Denissen reported.
"On
29th of December at about 1 p.m., near Eldoret town Kibet, who was
walking along the road with two other men, was hit by one of the stones
thrown by a group of about 50 young Kikuyus," Denissen wrote in an
e-mail message. "That caused a deep head wound, which has been sewed
up that afternoon in a local hospital. Also a light brain shock was
diagnosed."
Kibet, who surged away from all of his rivals to win
the world marathon crown in the heat and humidity of Osaka last August,
went to the same hospital again today in Eldoret for a follow-up exam.
His stitches will remain inn place until at least next week, and he is
still suffering from headaches. He is in no condition to train.
"The
attended doctor has forbidden him to train for the coming two weeks,"
wrote Denissen. "That is why Kibet's participation in Egmond
Half-Marathon in the Netherlands on January 13 had to be cancelled."
Kibet,
24, the #4-ranked marathoner in the world last year according to the
Race Results Weekly rankings, is also scheduled to run the Flora London
Marathon on April 13. He is in a three-way tie for fourth place in the
2007/2008 World Marathon Majors points race with 25 points.