, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum was given a state funeral Friday following his death in a car crash earlier this month, as many Kenyans urged the government to do more to protect the country’s famous athletes.
Hundreds of dignitaries — from Kenyan President William Auto to Sebastian Come, head of World Athletics — joined family, friends and fans of Kiptum in paying their last respects as he was interred in Na Iberia, about 6 kilometers (4 miles) from his hometown of Chepkorio in western Kenya.
The runner and his Rwandan coach, Gravis Hakim ana, were killed in the crash two weeks ago near the town of Katabatic 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 road running in years, having broken the world record in what was only his third appearance in an elite marathon. His record of 2 hours and 35 seconds, set last 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.
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