Athletics legend David Chelule, who died last Friday aged 49, has been celebrated as a mentor to budding stars.
The late Chelule, a double world junior silver medallist, died at night, moments after a boisterous traditional initiation ceremony in Kiptaragon, within Kuresoi in Nakuru County, his family told Standard Sports yesterday.
Distance athletes described Chelule, a former 5,000m, 10,000m and cross-country star, as a sportsman who promoted athletics mentorship in Olenguruone, particularly in his home village of Simotwet.
The late Chelule’s brother, Wesley Chelule, a retired marathoner, said his brother turned Olenguruone into an athletics locus soon after representing Kenya at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
“David (Chelule) showed young athletes from the larger Olenguruone the way. He was an inspiration to many athletes, including me. We ran together from 1995 after he inspired and nurtured me,” Wesley said in a telephone interview.
He added: “At one point, he turned his home into a camp and trained many youngsters in the 2000s while linking other talents with training opportunities in Ngong. However, it was not until 2005 that he stopped hosting athletes and nurturing them in different camps after identifying those with potential.”
According to Wesley, David vomited before collapsing and dying shortly after enjoying food and drinks during the cultural rites, which were conducted barely three kilometres from his…
