Nicholas Bett: Profile of Former World 400M Hurdles Champion

Kenyan athlete Nicholas Bett passed away on Wednesday in a tragic road crash.

Bett was a trailblazer with his impeccable gold medal in 400M Hurdles during the 2015 World Championship in Beijing.

His victory in many ways opened up the possibility of more gold medals for Kenya in the sprint races.

During the 2015 championships in China, Bett lined up against a World Class field running in the outermost lane (eight).

In the home stretch, he was is in contention for the medals. However, it is his speed endurance over the last 50 metres that charged him to the finish line first and onto the history books as the first Kenyan to clinch the 400M hurdles gold medal.

[video:]

He even set his personal best time of 47:79 seconds.

Prior to those championships, he won the Kenyan trials in a time of 48.29 and later went on to win bronze medals in 400m hurdles and 4x400m at the African Championships in 2014.

The year after his historic victory was not easy on Bett as he fell out of form failing to reproduce the impressive results. During the Olympic games in Rio, his hunt for gold came to a premature end when he hit a hurdle during the heats and was disqualified.

He, however, ended the 2016 season on a high note winning at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Paris in 48.01.

2017 presented its own challenges as injuries slowed his progress. A hurdle he overcame as 2018 rolled in, recording a season’s best of 48.88 and reached the 400m hurdles finals at both the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and the African Championships in Asaba.

Bett was coached by Vincent Mumo who trained him for the African championships.

[caption caption="Former World 400M Hurdles Champion Nicholas Bett "][/caption]

Away from the track, Bett was a family man, married and a father to two-year-old twins.

He was the second born in a family of three and his twin brother Haron Koech also specializes in the hurdle races.

He was born on 27 January 1990 in Uasin Gishu County and while in high school, ventured into volleyball before finding his true calling in athletics.

A number of personalities have mourned the Kenyan athlete including Deputy President William Ruto who tweeted, "Bett was part of the triumphant squad that topped the medal standings in the African Senior Athletics Championships in Asaba. He was an affable, popular lad who was adored by his peers. We have lost a hero and a sporting great. May his soul Rest In Peace."

[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta's condolences message on 8/8/2018"][/caption]

The athletics fraternity also condoled with the family following the passing of one of their own.

"Former 400m hurdles Champion Nicholas Bett dies this morning in a road accident in Nandi. May he soul Rest in Peace," read a post by 800M world record holder David Rudisha.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) released a statement conveying, "The IAAF is deeply saddened and shocked to hear that Kenya’s 2015 world 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett, 28, died in a car accident on Tuesday (7). RIP."

 

 

  • . . . .