japan-based kenyan runner dies

according to news reports, japan-based long-distance runner jefferson siekei has been killed in a road accident in kenya. he was 25 years old and had been a runner for the hitachi cable athletics team in japan since 2007. he had already put in several strong performances in events like the national corporate ekiden road relay.

he was riding a motorcycle on his way to a competition when he crashed head-on with a truck. on february 9th, yamanashi gakuin university runner mekubo mogosu suffered minor injuries in a car accident in kenya.

there are quite a few foreign runners based in japan, especially long-distance runners. perhaps the most famous is samuel wanjiru (who won the marathon in the beijin olympics). other runners include mara yamaguchi and erick wainaina. having been to kenya i can imagine how easy it would be to be involved in a traffic accident and of course it is no more tragic just because this particular victim happened to be a relatively famous runner. despite that it is sad enough and my thoughts go out to his family, friends and team-mates.