A week has passed since Josephat Kibet Ngetich, a former Kenyan track runner, tragically lost his life in Mexico while trying to rescue his employer’s dog, which had accidentally plunged head-first into a swimming pool.
The retired athlete, who had left track events due to a leg injury in 2006, hails from Bomet County. His death has sent shockwaves within his family who remained puzzled by why Kibet chose to risk his life to rescue the dog.
Josephat Kibet had been away from Kenya for more than 17 years. He was based in the US, before suffering a career-ending injury and relocating to Mexico, where he was employed.
In his semi-permanent house in Kenya, trophies and medals sit idle, their worth unknown to the family. A Toyota saloon car with mechanical issues has been parked in the garage, untouched for the past 16 years. These serve as the only remnants of his athletics career.
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His widow revealed that he would frequently communicate with them through phone calls, often video calls reassuring the family of his return soon.
“So far, the only information we have is that he fell into a dam while trying to rescue a dog that went headlong into the pool of water. He drowned and his body has since been moved to a morgue awaiting post-mortem,” said Josephat Kibet’s widow.
Josephat Kibet was a long-distance athlete, specializing in events like the 10 kilometres and 21 kilometres. Additional records indicate that he also competed in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
According to World Athletics, he primarily participated in competitions in South America, especially in Mexico.
