Nicholas Bett, former world 400m hurdles champion, dies aged 28 in Kenya car crash
By Alix Culbertson, Sky news reporter
Last Updated: 08/08/18 9:13am
Former world 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett has died aged 28, following a car crash in Kenya.
The athlete died at the scene in Nandi County after the car he was driving veered off the road and landed in a ditch on Wednesday morning, local papers reported.
Bett made history at the 2015 Beijing World Championships when he became the first Kenyan to win a world championship gold medal at a distance shorter than 800m.
Nandi Police Commander Patrick Wambani confirmed his death.
He said the athlete hit a bump before losing control of his car near Lessos.
He was on his way home to Nairobi from the African Championships in Athletics in Nigeria, which finished on Monday.
Earlier this year he competed in the Commonwealth Games in Australia where he came eighth in the 400m hurdles.
Athletics Kenya tweeted a tribute to Bett, sending condolences to his family and "the entire athletics family".
Bett has a twin brother, Haron Koech, who is also a hurdler.
