Nyahururu athlete Johana Maina mourned after sudden death

The athletics fraternity in the Aberdares Region was plunged into mourning on Thursday following the untimely death of Japan based runner Johana Maina two days after returning from the Asian nation.

According to Nyandarua Athletics Kenya Public Relations Officer, Moses Kuria the 26 year-old 2012 and 14 Sendai Half Marathon winner who was employed by Team Fujistu corporate team in Japan did his usual morning training but later collapsed and was rushed to the Charity Medical Clinic in Nyahururu town, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

He is a brother-in-law to Rio 2016 Olympics bound men 10000m runner, Bedan Karoki, who braved the loss to travel to Nairobi as part of the squad receiving the national flag from President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday.

“He was in a good mood and healthy after he came back home from Japan where he is based and he has been with MFAE Club which is coached by Francis Kamau, who is also the chairman of athletics Kenya in Nyandarua branch,” Kuria added.

Maina was born in Eldoret but later moved to Nyahururu in 2011, where he MFAE and after two years he moved to Japan and employed by Fujistu.

“We feel so devastated by the loss of Johana, because he was a promising young athlete and has participated in all events that we have hosted here in Nyahururu,” the local AK boss Kamau mourned.

He was ran his personal best time of 2:13.46 where he finished 15th at the 2014 Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship.

“It’s with much sorrow to announce a sudden death of our brother and a great athlete who passed on today (Thursday) morning. The late Johanna Maina, who’s based in Japan arrived yesterday from Japan and he travelled to Nyahururu where he resides. The athletics fraternity, Kenyan’s, we have lost a hero. May his soul rest in eternity,” Professional Athletes Association of Kenya Nairobi secretary, posted on Facebook.