Former 10,000 metres world record holder Kimobwa dies

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan former 10,000 metres world record holder Samson Kimobwa died aged 58 on Wednesday after complaining of a stomach ailment the previous day, officials said on Friday.

Kimobwa set a world record time of 27 minutes 30.47 seconds on June 30, 1977 in Helsinki. The record was broken by compatriot Henry Rono a year later in Vienna when he ran 27:22.4.

"We have lost a role model, a colleague and person who inspired many young athletes," Patrick Sang, Athletics Kenya official in the Rift Valley Province and 1992 Olympic 3,000 metres steeplechase silver medallist told Reuters.

Kimobwa, a high school teacher, was among the first Kenyans to earn a track scholarship to study in the United States when he went to Washington State University in early 1970s along with the likes of Rono and John Ngeno. (Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Alison Wildey)