FORMER WORLD CHAMPION RUNNER BETT DEAD AT 26

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Kipyegon Bett, the former junior world champion in the 800 meters, tragically passed away on Sunday, October 6, at the age of 26.

His fam­i­ly con­firmed that the Kenyan ath­lete had been bat­tling a seri­ous ill­ness for about a month before his death. 

Bett was hos­pi­tal­ized in Bomet, Kenya, after expe­ri­enc­ing severe stom­ach pains and vom­it­ing blood. Doc­tors diag­nosed him with a liv­er con­di­tion, and he had been in and out of med­ical care. Despite his ear­ly suc­cess­es on the track, includ­ing win­ning the world title in 2016, Bett’s lat­er years were marked by strug­gles after being banned from ath­let­ics for dop­ing vio­la­tions in 2018. He had test­ed pos­i­tive for ery­thro­poi­etin (EPO) and faced per­son­al chal­lenges, includ­ing alco­hol abuse.

His death serves as a reminder of the pres­sures ath­letes face both on and off the field and the need for greater sup­port in times of strug­gle.