Celebrated Kenyan athlete Hosea Mwok Macharinyang was found dead at his home in Murkwijit, West Pokot County on Saturday, October 9.
Reports indicated that the 35-year-old athlete was set to make a grand comeback into the sports before his untimely demise.
Speaking to the media, North Rift Athletics Kenya Chairman Jackson Pkemoi affirmed that the country had lost an industrious athlete who was still in his prime.
"He started training again. He was preparing for a major come-back. As AK officials, we celebrate his achievements,” Pkemoi stated.
His coach, Boniface Tiren, noted that the athlete had taken time off since 2012 to tend to personal issues but suddenly sprung up last year during training sessions.
"A month ago, I met him in Iten where he was training and I sought to know where he had been.
"He promised to find time to explain to me what he has been doing. It is saddening that he has passed on," Tiren stated.
Police officers in West Pokot County have commenced investigations into the incident in order to piece together the events that led to Mwok's demise.
The athlete had made tremendous strides in his career with winning three consecutive titles at World Cross Country Championships from 2006 to 2008.
Further, he also won the 2007 Great Edinburgh ten kilometers clocking in at 29 minutes 14 seconds. Mwok improved his impressive win setting a personal best of 27 minutes 58 seconds in Bilbao.
Before his demise, the athlete noted that he sought to be emulated like great cross country runner Paul Tergat.
"That remains my wish because I have to get a medal to be considered to be a great cross country runner like Tergat. I just pray that it will all go well for me,” he previously stated.
