Kenya’s first Olympic medallist dies aged 84

Kenya’s first athlete to win an Olympic medal Wilson Kiprugut has died aged 84, Athletics Kenya has announced. (BBC)

The middle-distance legend died in Kericho county in Kenya on Wednesday evening after a long illness.

Kiprugut made his breakthrough on the international stage after winning the bronze medal in the 800 meters race at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.

He went on to win a silver medal in the same race in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico.

In a statement, Athletics Kenya eulogized him as “a truly loveable and kind person who selflessly made the country proud on the global stage”.

He won two gold medals in the 400 and 800 meters at the first All-African Games held in Congo-Brazzaville in 1965.

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