Sammy Wanjiru

Oddly enough, my favourite memory from the 2008 Olympics, was not Michael Phelps gold medals or the sensational Usain Bolt. It was Brendan Foster repeatedly telling BBC viewers that Sammy Wanjiru was not going to be able to sustain the relentess pace he was running in searing Beijing heat, as he traversed the 26 miles of a marathon. He must have said this at least hundred gizallion times that particular Sunday morning, yet Wanjiru kept answering the doubts, almost appearing to accelerate every time Foster mentioned the words 'suicide' and 'pace'. He really left that particular Olympic bronze medallist look very foolish, and in the process made a very strong field of marathon runners look very slow. He smashed the Olympic record to pieces.

It's sad to see yet another sports star pass away in 2011, there really have been many untimely deaths in the past few months. But Wanjiru was a class operator in his chosen discipline, and was he from a wealthier part of the world, he'd have a lot more well known. Gebrselassie’s record is unlikely to be lowered in the next while - only Wanjiru was capable of that.

Yes, a phenomenal athlete, who seems to have struggled with the transition from poverty to stardom. Very sad end for such a gifted young man.

Seems to have been a troubled soul, God rest him.