By Lauryne Akoth
The nation and the global community at large bid farewell to world Marathon Record Holder Kelvin Kiptum as he is laid to rest today.
His funeral service is currently being held in Chepkorio. President William Samoei Ruto and President of the International Association of Athletics Federations, Sebastian Coe are expected to join the ceremony later today.
Kelvin Kiptum will be interred in Naiberi later on in the day. The young athlete passed away in a tragic road accident on 11th February 2024 along Elgeyo-Marakwet Ravine Road. He was in the company of his coach Gervais Hakizimana who lost his life in a road crash alongside Kelvin.
The late Kiptum’s family, friends and other athletes such as Faith Kipyegon assembled at the Eldoret Hospital morgue to collect his body ahead of the funeral service. Hundreds flocked to Iten yesterday to pay their respects as a procession escorted his body through Eldoret town to Iten.
Kelvin Kiptum leaves behind a rich legacy having won the 3 marathons he ran. Kiptum achieved the fastest-ever marathon debut during the 2022 Valencia Marathon, making him only the third man in history to finish in under two hours and two minutes and establishing the then-fourth-quickest time ever.
In the subsequent four months, he recorded the second-fastest marathon time in history, completing the 2023 London Marathon in 2:01:25, just 16 seconds short of the world record. Later, at the 2023 Chicago Marathon in October, Kiptum shattered the world record by 34 seconds, clocking an impressive time of 2:00:35.
The international track federation World Athletics officially ratified this achievement on 6th February 2024, before his unfortunate demise.
The athletics community turned up to bid their farewell, with high-profile athletes such as Faith Kipyegon in attendance. Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei who was in Chepkorio grounds for the funeral service described Kiptum as a hero and a good example for all athletes.
The funeral service is still underway with the expected arrival of the procession at Chepkorio grounds.
On Wednesday, his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, was buried in a cemetery in Kigali, Rwanda.