STORY: Emotional send-off for Kenyan marathon world record holder Kiptum
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 23, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 24, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:57
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the burial 
2. various of the arrival of the Kenyan president and athletes, officials 
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President
4. various of the burial
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President
6. various of mourners
7. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): SEBASTIAN COE, World Athletics president
8. various of the burial

STORYLINE:

World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum was given an emotional State send-off led by Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday.
   
Ruto led hundreds of mourners to gather in Chepkorio, Elgeyo Marakwet County in the northwestern part of the country to pay glowing tributes to the fallen marathon star.
   
In what was an emotional and politically charged funeral, Kiptum was celebrated as a dedicated and hardworking athlete who rose from obscurity to conquer the world.
  
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President
"Therefore we have come here as friends, as family, as leaders to condole with the family on the demise of this great Kenyan and world beater. He was ambitious, disciplined and focused."
   
"It was a heavy moment for us because, in Kiptum, we saw the future of athletics in Kenya. Kiptum has stood out not just like a great athlete but a good person," he mourned.
   
Kiptum, 24, and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana, 37, perished in a road accident in Kaptagat in the same region on February 11 as they were driving from Eldoret town to their camp.
   
The tragedy triggered an outpouring of grief from around the world, with President Ruto alluding to the fatal accident in his remarks.
   
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President
"We all need to be mindful of our lifestyles so that we can avoid instances like this, at which a young age a promising good Kenyan has lost his life. And the coaches and the other people who are involved, managers we should do more to make sure that we mentor these young athletes into great sportsmen and women."
   
The Kenyan leader promised three stadiums - Eldoret, Kamariny, and Chepkorio - would be refurbished to give athletes from the region training facilities from the consolidated Sports Fund.
   
The funeral service was also attended by World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, Nike vice-president Brett Holts, his management Golazo Sports CEO Bob Veerbeck, and his fellow Kenyan world beaters.
   
SOUNDBITE 3 (English): SEBASTIAN COE, World Athletics president
"There can be few words from me today that ease the pain and sense of loss. For Kelvin's family, his fellow athletes, the legion of friends from within and beyond athletics, many of whom are gathered here today, the Kenyan Athletics Federation, and of course the people of Kenya. But I can speak on behalf of the entire world athletics family. Kelvin, you will be missed. Our grief and sadness will take time to dissipate, rest assured your achievements are treasured, indelible, and secure in the annals of our history and never ever forgotten. May you rest in peace."

"Kiptum was a generational athlete. He taught us humility and hard work are the recipes of success. After winning in Chicago, I remember him telling me, I'm yet to feel any pain in a marathon," Holts said.
   
The Nike boss was famously pictured hugging Kiptum tightly just after the finish when the late athlete ran 2:00:35 to obliterate the previous world record by 34 seconds in October 2023
   
Among the constellation of champion athletes present included record holders, Olympic champions, and world champions - past and present.
   
Tanzanian marathoner Gabriel Gaey, who finished second to Kiptum in his breakout marathon victory in Valencia where he ran 2:01:53 in December 2022, was also present and gave a moving testimony.
   
A poignant moment during the four-hour-long service saw all the athletes present kneel down for special prayers.
   
They then moved to the catafalque containing Kiptum's open casket with petals in their hands before pouring the flowers to their departed colleague.
   
Following the service, Kiptum's body was taken some 20km to his final resting place in Naiberi where the government constructed two homes - for his father Stanley Chelimo, and his widow in seven days.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)