Kenyan President Dr. William Ruto attends funeral services

Nairobi, Kenya : Kenyan world marathon record-holder Kelvin Kiptum was laid to rest Friday at his Naiberi home, 20 kms from Eldoret in the Rift Valley Province, which is the cradle of many world athletes.

The 24-year-old hero was accorded a State funeral that was attended by thousands of mourners that included top government dignitaries led by the Kenyan Head of State, Dr William Ruto, accompanied by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.

The Kenyan government a few days ago completed construction of a new house for the family of the national hero on a four-acre land that was acquired by the late Kiptum.

Kiptum along with his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana, 36 year old, perished near Eldoret town in a self-involved road accident when the vehicle the late champion was driving lost control, plunged into a ditch before hitting a tree on the fateful Sunday of  February 11.

Coach Hakizimana, who had trained Kiptum since 2019, was laid to rest in his home country in the Rwandan capital Kigali on Wednesday.

Speaking during the funeral ceremony of the late Kiptum,  President William Ruto said as a recognition of his achievements the government will gift the family of late marathoner another house, and provide his widow a job and Kshs. 5 million in cash to take care of her young family.

President Ruto eulogised Kiptum as an “ambitious, disciplined and focused” sportsman.

The Head of State highlighted Kiptum’s humility, noting that he overcame all challenges facing him to become an icon.

“He had more reasons not to succeed than he had to succeed. But he worked against the odds. He could have said I come from a village that is not well known, or I come from a family that cannot cater for him or he does not have running shoes… you heard he ran barefoot in his earlier days. He didn’t see those as impediments to his ambition and his success,”

Kenyan Head of State, Dr William Ruto

The President went on to challenge all Kenyans to borrow lessons from the late Kiptum.

“I say Kelvin even in his death is speaking to us as Kenyans that we may not have gold, we may not have so much… and that should not deter us from being the great country that we must be. All of us as the people of Kenya must love this country enough to be able, to make Kenya great”

Kenyan Head of State, Dr William Ruto

The World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, Belgian track Olympian Bob Verbeeck, the CEO of Golazo, Nike Vice President Brett Holst, Cabinet Secretary Sports Ababu Namwamba, Athletics Kenya (AK) President, RTD Gen Jackson Tuwei were among some of the top dignitaries who attended the burial ceremony.

Hundreds of mourners lined along the streets from Eldoret town to Keiyo South, as Kiptum’s coffin was ferried in a Range Rover limousine hearse to his final resting place in Naiberi.

Kiptum leaves behind his widow Asenath Rotich  and two children Caleb and Precious, 7 and 4 years old respectively. Kiptum was the only child of Mzee Samson Cheruiyot and Mama Mary Kangogo.

Pallbearers who carried the coffin of late Kelvin Kiptum included local and international athletes who travelled from far and wide to pay their last homage to the world champion.

Kiptum ran three of the seven fastest marathons in history and was ranked first among the world’s men’s marathons. 

He ran the Chicago race in October in two hours and 35 seconds, slicing 34 seconds off the previous fastest time set by his Kenyan rival, the marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge. Kiptum had been scheduled to participate in the Rotterdam Marathon on 14 April where much was expected of him after he stated his desire to “beat his time” in the Dutch city.

“All indications were that he was going to achieve his dream of lowering the marathon time to under two hours”

AK President Jackson Tuwei

Kiptum’s wife, Asenath was overcome with emotion as she read a tearful tribute to the marathon prodigy.

“It’s unbelievable that today I have learnt to stay with our beloved kids without you coming home again,”

“I will still make my vows of love even in your rest.”

she said, revealing that the couple had planned to hold a wedding ceremony in April.