In 2024, several sportspersons who left an indelible mark on their sport passed away.
Franz Beckenbauer: The Emperor of Football
Franz Beckenbauer (“Der Kaiser”) died Jan. 7, 2024, at 78. Born in Munich, he changed football with his elegant style and leadership. Beckenbauer took Germany to World Cup victory as both player and manager. Doc is known for revolutionizing the sweeper position and helping lead Bayern Munich to great things.
JPR Williams
The Wales of the 1970s, who won three grand slams in the Five Nations, made John Peter Rhys Williams an icon of the nation’s rugby success. The full-back won 55 caps and played for London Welsh, Bridgend and Barbarians. JPR Williams earned eight Test caps touring for the British and Irish Lions.
Williams died after a brief illness on January 8, 2024, aged 74, from bacterial meningitis at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Earl Cureton: NBA Veteran and Community Pillar
Earl Cureton, a former NBA player best known for playing with the Detroit Pistons, died in Detroit, Michigan, on February 4, 2024. He was 66. Cureton showcased his basketball talent by winning two NBA championships during his 12 seasons in the league. He also demonstrated his generous and caring nature through his significant contributions to his community.
Kelvin Kiptum: Marathon Prodigy Gone Too Soon
The life of men’s marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum was tragically cut short by a road accident in his home country, Kenya. On February 11, 2024, the 24-year-old long-distance runner bettered the record of his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge, completing the Chicago Marathon in two hours and 35 seconds.
Vontae Davis: NFL Cornerback’s Sudden Passing
Vontae Davis, a former NFL cornerback, died on April 1, 2024 at age 35. Over a 10-year career, Davis played for teams including the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts. The football community is in grief over the shocking news of his demise.
Rob Burrow: Rugby League’s Courageous Warrior
Away from the field and formerly of Leeds Rhinos, scrum-half Rob Burrow sadly passed away on June 2, 2024, aged 41. He is one of the all-time greats, and his career has been highlighted by talent, superb determination, and a handful of Super League trophies. After his playing career ended, he fearlessly fought against motor neuron disease, shining a light on the condition and inspiring countless people.
Lionel Elika Fatupaito: Samoa’s Boxing Mentor
Samoa’s national boxing coach, Lionel Elika Fatupaito, died in Paris during the 2024 Olympics. He was Samoa’s only coach for the boxing event, a sign of his commitment to sport and athletes. His passing hit the boxing community hard.
Ray Reardon: Champion of Snooker
Ray Reardon, born on October 8, 1932, in Tredegar, Wales, was a dominant professional snooker in the 1970s, winning six World Snooker Championship titles from 1970 to 1978. With his dark widow’s peak and prominent eye teeth, people nicknamed him “Dracula.” Transitioning into a historic milestone, he became the first player to earn the world number one ranking when it was introduced in 1976, holding that position for several years. Reardon was a coal miner and police officer before turning professional snooker in 1967. He received an MBE for services to the sport in 1985 and helped mentor other stars, including Ronnie O’Sullivan. Reardon died of cancer on July 19, 2024, at the age of 91.
Graham Thorpe: English cricketer
Graham Thorpe(Graham Paul Thorpe) played 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005 and 82 one-day internationals. A stylish left-handed batsman, he compiled 6,744 Test runs, including 16 centuries. Thorpe spent his entire first-class playing career representing Surrey at the county level from 1988 to 2005.
In May 2022, Thorpe attempted suicide, leading to intensive care and later battling severe depression and anxiety. On August 4, 2024, Thorpe died by suicide, stepping in front of a train at Esher railway station; he was 55.
Daniela Larreal Chirinos: Cycling Champion’s Untimely Demise
Daniela Larreal Chirinos, a five-time Olympian representing Venezuela, was found dead in her Las Vegas apartment on August 16, 2024. “So I stopped running around the track one day, and I became a mechanical engineer,” she said before she went on to represent her country on the track, earning multiple Pan-American gold medals and finally making it to the Olympic qualifiers at 50. Her death has left a gap in the cycling world.
Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson (February 5, 1948 – August 26, 2024) was a Swedish football manager and player who managed clubs and national teams worldwide. He had a playing career of limited success. He moved into management, where he achieved plenty with the likes of IFK Göteborg, Benfica, and Lazio, winning titles including the UEFA Cup and Serie A.
Eriksson became the England manager in 2001, the first foreign leader of the national team. He also took the side to the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004. In January 2024, he disclosed that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and had “at best about a year to live.”
He died peacefully on August 26, 2024, at his home in Björkefors, near Sunne, Sweden, at the age of 76.
Rebecca Cheptegei: Tragic Loss in Athletics
Ugandan long-distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei was murdered on September 5, 2024, at the age of 33. She ran in the 2024 Paris Olympics marathon and ended on 44th rank. She made her marathon debut in 2021 and recorded a personal best of two hours, 22 minutes, and 47 seconds the following year, making her the second-fastest Ugandan woman ever.
Dikembe Mutombo: Basketball’s Defensive Giant
Former Denver Nuggets star and dedicated humanitarian Dikembe Mutombo died on September 30 from brain cancer at the age of 58. A 7-foot-2 presence, Mutombo was a master shot blocker who personified humanitarian efforts. His finger-wagging gesture became iconic, and he used his public platform to advance African health and education.
Lea Pericoli
Lea Pericoli, among Italy’s best players in the 1950s and 60s, reached the French Open’s last 16 twice and advanced to Wimbledon’s last 16 three times. Besides athletic wins, Ms. Pericoli’s outfits at competitions, trimmed in feathers and fur, transformed her into a fashionista. She went on to become a popular television presenter and journalist. In 1964, she married Tito Fontana. Pericoli died on Oct. 4, 2024, at 89.
Robbie Fitzgibbon: Middle-Distance Talent Lost
Former GB athlete Robbie Fitzgibbon passed away on October 7, 2024, aged 28. He competed for Great Britain at the European Championships and Diamond League meetings. Fitzgibbon prepared to run the Brighton Marathon, showcasing his dedication to sport and supporting the mental health charity Mind.
Geoff Capes
Geoff Capes, born on August 23, 1949, in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, rose to fame as a British shot putter and strongman. He competed for Great Britain at three Olympic Games (1972, 1976, and 1980) and achieved a personal best and British record throw of 21.68 meters in 1980, which remains the British record today.
Capes won Commonwealth Games gold medals in 1974 and 1978 and the World’s Strongest Man title in 1983 and 1985.
Aside from athletic abilities, he was a budgerigar breeder who hosted the Budgerigar Society in 2008.
Capes died on October 23, 2024, at the age of seventy-five.
