The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Marathon record-holder given a state funeral in Kenya
Kenyan world marathon recordholder Kelvin Kiptum was given a state funeral Friday following his death in a car crash earlier this month. Hundreds of dignitaries — from Kenyan President William Ruto to Sebastian Coe, head of World Athletics — joined family, friends and fans of Kiptum in paying their last respects as he was interred in Naiberi, about 4 miles from his hometown of Chepkorio in western Kenya.
Kiptu, 24, and his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana, were killed in the crash two weeks ago near the town of Kaptagat in western Kenya, in the heart of the high-altitude region that’s renowned as a training base for the best distance runners from Kenya and across the world.
Kiptum was one of the most exciting prospects to emerge in distance running in years, having broken the world record in what was only his third appearance in an elite marathon. His record of 2 hours, 35 seconds, set in October at the Chicago Marathon, was ratified by international track federation World Athletics just days before he died.
Kiptum had hoped to break the two-hour marathon ceiling in Rotterdam in April and make his Olympic debut in Paris this year.
He ran three of the seven fastest marathons in history.
His death reverberated through Kenya, where runners are the biggest sports stars and where many have sadly gotten used to tragedies involving their top athletes; several have died in road accidents or cases of domestic violence.
Kiptum was driving on the night of Feb. 11 when the car veered off the road into a ditch, then hit a large tree, authorities said. He and Hakizimana were killed instantly. Another passenger, Sharon Kosgei, was injured in the crash.
Kiptum leaves behind wife Asentah Cheruto and their two children. Ruto has ordered a house to be built for Kiptum’s family. A High Court on Thursday declined to delay the funeral pending a woman’s legal claim that Kiptum had fathered her child.
Kiptum ran the fastest-ever marathon debut at the 2022 Valencia Marathon. The following year, he won the London and Chicago races, two of the most prestigious marathons in the world. He set a course record at the London Marathon last April and, months later, he set the world record in Chicago.
He became the latest Kenyan star to die in tragic circumstances.
David Lelei, an All-Africa Games silver medalist, died in a car crash in 2010. Marathon runner Francis Kiplagat was among five people killed in a crash in 2018. Nicholas Bett, who won gold in the 400 meter hurdles at the 2015 world championships, also died in a car crash in 2018.