Kenya has had 3 World/Olympic champions die in their 20s in the last 10 years, when (if ever) has this happened to an American?

Shouldn’t compare in the sport of athletics. That’s Kenya’s national obsession, while it’s just a niche sport in the US. There have been multiple tragedies involving high profile baseball, basketball and football players in the US

juvie wrote:

Shouldn’t compare in the sport of athletics. That’s Kenya’s national obsession, while it’s just a niche sport in the US. There have been multiple tragedies involving high profile baseball, basketball and football players in the US

Despite what you have been told, Atheltics is not Kenya's obsession. Soccer is way more popular in Kenya than track.

Rudisha, Bikele , and kam were injured in auto accidents also. These are rural dirt roads. Rojo forgets that some people don’t live in high rise condos with infrastructure for roads.

Kenya may be better at killing it’s runners, but American athletes are far better at murder, rape, DUI, assault, beating spouses.

Is this seriously what bothers you? These small isolated incidents?

confirmation bias wrote:

Rudisha, Bikele , and kam were injured in auto accidents also. These are rural dirt roads. Rojo forgets that some people don’t live in high rise condos with infrastructure for roads.

Kenya may be better at killing it’s runners, but American athletes are far better at murder, rape, DUI, assault, beating spouses.

Is this seriously what bothers you? These small isolated incidents?

I always say tone is often missed in text.

Nothing 'bothered' me about it. I"m just asking if there have been any really high-ranking track stars to die in the US. Death is much more common in Kenya due to the dangers of driving, inferior medical care, etc. I'm well aware of that.

On several occasions at letsrun we've raised money for Africans that needed money after a car accident or needed surgery.

Let's look at the three cases you've mentioned, individually:

1. Sammy Wanjiru - Drunkenly falls off his bedroom balcony

2. Nicholas Bett - Car accident

3. Agnes Tirop - Domestic violence

Three different causes. I still don't understand the point you're trying to make.

El Keniano wrote:

Three different causes. I still don't understand the point you're trying to make.

A sensationalist thread title drives page view count. That's his point.

El Keniano wrote:

Let's look at the three cases you've mentioned, individually:

1. Sammy Wanjiru - Drunkenly falls off his bedroom balcony

2. Nicholas Bett - Car accident

3. Agnes Tirop - Domestic violence

Three different causes. I still don't understand the point you're trying to make.

I agree. why post this?

Also, David Torrence (he was American, not Peruvian) dies in mysterious circumstances. How about we use that to warn American runners to stay away from water?

El Keniano wrote:

Also, David Torrence (he was American, not Peruvian) dies in mysterious circumstances. How about we use that to warn American runners to stay away from water?

David Torrence

Jon Gray

Gabby Grunewald

all died in their 20s

Michael Smores wrote:

El Keniano wrote:

Also, David Torrence (he was American, not Peruvian) dies in mysterious circumstances. How about we use that to warn American runners to stay away from water?

David Torrence

Jon Gray

Gabby Grunewald

all died in their 20s

Torrence

Grunewald

We're both early 30s. Gray was 29 and died by suicide.

These things happen in third world countries. Life expectancy is low. Poverty causes chaos and violence amongst other things.

rojo wrote:

Death is much more common in Kenya due to the dangers of driving, inferior medical care, etc. I'm well aware of that.

Death is fairly universal as far as I can ascertain.

Jackas4sure wrote:

rojo wrote:

Death is much more common in Kenya due to the dangers of driving, inferior medical care, etc. I'm well aware of that.

Death is fairly universal as far as I can ascertain.

Subtle, yet utter devastation for the OP.

rojo wrote:

In writing the Week That Was last night, it struck me that there has been so much tragedy in Kenyan athletics in the last 10+ years.

It got me thinking. Has this ever happened in the US? Where a world or Olympic champ has died in their 20s?

I know Prefontaine died in his 20s but he wasn't a World or Olympic champ.

The simple fact is American adult mortality rate is around 18 per 100 people. Kenya's is 42. Thus a greater likelihood of death and unfortunate circumstances, especially when you compare the amount of guns/gun deaths in the US vs Kenya.

But, as stated above: this whole question has a pretty shallow premise and it takes little effort to determine if it's really a question or not. I know of no American Olympic or World Champs, at least since the 70s, who died in their 20s. We have only a handful of those champions beyond 400m as it is. Why make this thread?