Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist and 2011 and 2013 world champion at the 1500-meters, was hospitalized and later released after a car crash Sunday evening in Kenya.

He suffered a neck injury, and the accident was apparently quite close to being fatal.

Kiprop was driving his vehicle with a passenger near Iten when he lost control of his car on a sharp turn and the vehicle came within a meter of going over a cliff. Fortunately, a rock wedged under the car prevented it from going any further, avoiding catastrophe. He was discharged from the hospital, his agent, Federico Rosa,said he is “pretty okay.” The car was totally wrecked

Kiprop has been one of Kenya’s most consistent and succesful athletes for the past 5 years. In fact he has been the top 1500m runner in the world since 2008. His personal best of 3:27.72 which he ran in in Monaco in July makes him #4 on the all-time list for 1500 meters.

His passenger James Kangogo, who has a 3:35.25 personal best for 1500 meters, was in the passenger seat of Kiprop’s car and reportedly lost four teeth in the accident.

Shades of Noah Ngeny

Athletics fans will be hoping that Kiprop’s injuries are not career ending. They will remember the case of Noah Ngeny, perhaps the most talented miler Kenya has ever produced. Ngeny won the gold medal at the 2000 Olympics handily beating Hicham El Guerrouj . At the time Ngeny was only 21 and his career looked promising. However it all ended when Ngeny was involved in a car crash and was never able to regain his form due to hip problems resulting from the accident.

Lets hope Kiprop recovers well enough to regain the form that has seen him dominate the event for 5 years.