Marathon world record holder and father of two, Kelvin Kiptum, was buried Friday Other Hearst Subscriptions RW+ Membership Benefits.
Kiptum was 24 years old. His coach, Gervais Hakizimana, 36, also died. A third passenger was taken to the hospital, according to The Nation.
where the government is building a house for his wife and children, authorities released the autopsy findings, which concluded Kiptum died from “severe head injuries.” Results from a toxicology report have not yet been determined.
RW+ Membership Benefits set the marathon world record (2:00:35) last October at the Chicago Marathon, lowering Eliud Kipchoge’s record by staggering 34 seconds. Kiptum had already announced his plans to attempt to break two hours at the Rotterdam Marathon in April of this year.
Kiptum was also supposed to celebrate his marriage with a “colorful wedding ceremony” in April with his wife, Asenath Cheruto, according to CNN.
“I will still make my vows of love even in your rest,” Cheruto said during the funeral service, according to CNN.
Kiptum had two young children, who, in a service statement, said, “Dear Dad, we still cannot believe that you have left us. We will always remember and love you. You left a big void in our lives and life will never be the same again. You will always be in our thoughts (…) we love you, Daddy,” CNN reported.
The funeral was attended by hundreds of people, including William Ruto, Kenya’s president, and Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics president.
The service was in the Rift Valley village of Chepkorio, Kenya, and Kiptum was buried in a family plot near Eldoret, according to Aljazeera, where the government is building a house for his wife and children.
Heather is the former food and nutrition editor for.
“Kelvin would have written more chapters in the lustrous history of Kenyan and world athletics,” Coe said during the service. “...Rest assured, your achievements are treasured, indelible, and secure in the annals of our history and never, ever forgotten.”
Heather is the former food and nutrition editor for Runner’s World, CA Notice at Collection The Runner’s World Vegetarian Cookbook, and a nine-time marathoner with a best of 3:23. She’s also proud of her 19:40 5K and 5:33 mile. Heather is an RRCA certified run coach.
