Kenya and the world of athletics are in mourning. Jairus Kipchoge Birech, one of Kenya’s finest steeplechasers ever to wear the country’s colours, died on the night of 18 September 2025, aged 32. 

Born on 14 December 1992 in Uasin Gishu County, Birech burst onto the international scene as a teenager. He won silver at the 2011 African Junior Athletics Championships, and in the same year placed fourth at the All-Africa Games — early signs of the craft, resilience, and promise that would mark his career. 

His breakthrough in senior competition came in the years following, particularly 2014. That year, Birech:

After his peak seasons in 2014-2015, Birech’s presence on the global track dimmed. While many of his early rivals continued to dominate, his appearances became fewer. He ventured into road races: setting a half-marathon time of 1:00:33 at Milan in 2019, and later racing in the 2020 Guadalajara Marathon. These were meaningful efforts — transitions many athletes make when the body, speed, or sponsorship pull starts changing. 

His death came after a relatively short illness. According to family sources:

He is survived by his wife and two children. 

Jairus Birech’s story is one of both stunning heights and human vulnerability. His achievements:

In traditional Kenyan culture — and in much of the world — elders and forebears are celebrated for leaving behind more than trophies; they leave behind stories, mentorship, tradition. Birech, though relatively young, had already begun doing that: mentoring family (his younger brother Dennis Kibet, also an athlete)  , being a figure that others looked up to. His departure is a stark reminder that glory on the track does not shield a human being from illness, from frailty, or from the unexpectedness of death.

Jairus Birech came into the arena like a rushing wind: fast, fierce, unforgettable. He carried Kenya’s colours high, and he bore the hopes of many who saw in him the next great steeplechaser. His passing at 32 is a wound for the sport — not just because a champion has gone, but because a mentor, leader, and symbol has left us too early.

May his legacy be built upon — by young steeplechasers who challenge the barriers, jump the river of doubt, and remind us that the greatest victories are more than medals: they are the lives we touch, the standards we raise, the traditions we guard.

Rest In Peace, Jairus Kipchoge Birech.