The 24-year-old runner 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.
Kenyan politicians and leaders in sports gathered on Friday for a funeral service celebrating the life of marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a road accident last Sunday.
VOA reports that 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 6 kilometers (4 miles) from his hometown of Chepkorio in western Kenya.
The 24-year-old runner 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.
According to the report, 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.
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 and then hit a large tree, authorities said. He and Hakizimana were killed instantly. Another passenger, Sharon Kosgei, was injured in the crash.
Kiptum, an only child, leaves behind wife Asentah Cheruto and their two children. A High Court on Thursday declined to delay the funeral pending a woman’s legal claim that Kiptum had fathered her child.
Kiptum had the fastest time as a marathon debutant 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 new 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.
Many Kenyans said they believe the authorities should do more to protect athletes who bring international recognition to the country, including providing them with security, drivers and advisors.
Elizabeth Wairimu, a vegetable vendor in the western Kenya town of Nakuru said so many deaths of athletes in road accidents was shocking.
“I am asking myself what is the problem with our athletes,” she said. “The government should look into this ... investigate what is killing our athletes. Where are we heading to?”
She said it was sad that instead of Kiptum, who had promised to build his parents a new house, the government was now doing it in a rush.
Wairimu’s sentiments were echoed by others on the busy market.
“The government should not wait until the legends are dead to start rushing to look after their welfare,” said George Thuo, a merchant at the market.
Jimmy Muindi, a six times Honolulu Marathon winner from Kenya, said young athletes who reached Kiptum’s level need support in managing their newly found celebrity status. Former marathoner Isaac Macharia agreed, saying a support system is needed to nurture stars.
Jack Tuwei, head of Athletics Kenya, asked President Ruto and legislators to come up with a solution that would ensure the welfare of the athletes and “allow them to have all that they need to be safe.”
Ruto said an endowment fund would be set up for athletes and Kiptum’s widow would be given another house by the government and $34,000 in support.
|
6:43 PM (2 minutes ago) |
|
||
|
||||
Court Denies Donald Trump’s Request To Delay Enforcement Of $355million Fraud Case Penalties
Judge Arthur Engoron, who is in charge of former US President Donald Trump's $355 million civil fraud case, has rejected the former President’s request to delay the enforcement of the penalties in the case.
ABC News reports that the defendants had asked the Judge to delay the enforcement of the penalties by 30 days to allow for an "orderly post-judgment process."
But Judge Engoron in response told the defendants in an email posted Thursday to the court docket that "You have failed to explain, much less justify, any basis for a stay," adding, "I am confident that the Appellate Division will protect your appellate rights.”
It was reported that Trump last week was ordered to pay a $354.8 million fine plus interest and was barred from leading any New York company for three years.
Also, the former President’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, were fined $4 million apiece and barred for two years.
The defense's request for a delay in the penalties was sequel to a dispute about the case's judgment order, the court document that, at the end of a trial, starts the clock for the penalties in a case.
Lawyers for New York Attorney General, Letitia James, reportedly submitted a draft judgment on Tuesday, prompting criticism from Trump's defense lawyer, Clifford Robert.
Robert was quoted as saying in a letter written to the court on Wednesday morning that "To deprive Defendants of the opportunity to submit a proposed counter-judgment would be contrary to fundamental fairness and due process."
Judge Engoron later that morning, requested that Robert submit a written response articulating what would make the defense's judgment different from the proposed order.
Robert replied on Wednesday afternoon by arguing that the attorney general's judgment broke with standard practice and included at least two errors.
Robert in the filing said that "The Attorney General has not filed any motion on notice, nor moved to settle the proposed Judgment," adding that "Her unseemly rush to memorialize a 'judgment' violates all accepted practice in New York state court."
Robert, who cited the "magnitude" of the penalties in the case, requested a stay of penalties by 30 days if Judge Engoron opts to sign the attorney general's proposed judgment.
Robert said that "Given that the court-appointed monitor continues to be in place, there is no prejudice to the Attorney General in briefly staying enforcement to allow for an orderly post-judgment process, particularly given the magnitude of Judgment."
In a short letter to Engoron on Thursday, State Attorney, Andrew Amer, opposed the request, arguing that Robert failed to justify why an additional delay of 30 days would be necessary and writing that Engoron's decision in the case left "no room for further debate" about the judgment.
Amer said that "Nor do Defendants provide any basis for staying enforcement of the judgment; indeed, they requested such relief in their post-trial brief, which the Court declined to grant."
The State Attorney further objected to a change proposed by Robert to move the address of six of Trump's businesses, which are defendants in the case from New York to Florida.
Amer wrote, "Finally, the Court should reject Defendants' attempt to change the business address of six entity Defendants to Florida as the record establishes those entities are located in Trump Tower at 725 5th Avenue in New York, the office building in which the executives who carry out the business activities of those entities work."
Trump was reportedly fined $354.8 million plus approximately $100 million in pre-judgment interest last week after Engoron determined that he inflated his net worth to get more favorable loan terms.
However, the former president has denied all wrongdoing and has said he will appeal the judgment.