The Kenyan has passed away aged 28 following a road accident in his home country

Tributes have been paid to former world 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett who has died aged 28 following a car crash.

The Kenyan had recently returned from competing at the African Championships in Nigeria when he died in a road accident in his home country.

"We regret to learn of the sudden demise of one of our top athletes, the 2015 400m hurdles world champion #NicholasKiplagatBett who represented Kenya in the just concluded Africa Championships," read a statement from Athletics Kenya on Twitter.

"Our condolences to his family and the entire athletics fraternity."

We regret to learn of the sudden demise of one of our top athletes, the 2015 400m Hurdles World Champion #NicholasKiplagatBett who represented Kenya in the just concluded Africa Championships. Our condolences to his family and the entire athletics fraternity @moscakenya @iaaforg pic.twitter.com/L40CSCP4ZC

— Athletics Kenya (@athletics_kenya) August 8, 2018

Kenya's two-time Olympic and two-time world 800m champion David Rudisha was also among those to tweet his condolences, writing: "Former 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett dies this morning in a road accident in Nandi. May he soul Rest in Peace."

Bett made history in Beijing in 2015 by becoming the first Kenyan athlete to win a world track title at a distance shorter than 800m.

He also claimed two medals at the 2014 African Championships, in his specialist event and the 4x400m.

His 400m hurdles PB of 47.79 was set when winning his world gold in China.