Hundreds flock at Iten grounds to view Kiptum's body
Rift Valley
By
Lynn Kolongei and Christopher Chesang
| Feb 22, 2024
Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich and his Deputy Grace Cheserek today led members of the public to view the body of the late marathon star Kelvin Kiptum.
Hundreds of residents and sports personalities turned out at Iten grounds for the viewing ahead of the burial on Saturday.
Faith Kipyegon was among the sports personalities on the grounds.
According to an autopsy conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor on Wednesday, Kiptum died of severe head, spine and rib injuries.
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Kiptum sustained skull fractures and broken ribs during the accident that happened at Flax junction along Eldoret-Eldama Ravine road on February 11.
Oduor said the impact of the accident resulted in right broken ribs.
"There were some fractures on both sides of the ribs. On the left side, three rib bones, including first, second and third and on the right side, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh had fractures," he said.
He said the late Kiptum's spinal cord was seriously injured during the road crash.
The government pathologist said samples collected from Kiptum's body would be taken for toxicology analysis.
Speaking at Eldoret Hospital morgue where the autopsy was done, Oduor said an analysis of the samples would show whether Kiptum, who was the driver of the ill-fated Toyota Premio, was intoxicated.
He further reported that the postmortem examination found that Kiptum had sustained an injury on his lungs.
Kiptum's father, Samson Cheruiyot, and several relatives and friends witnessed the postmortem examination conducted ahead of athlete's burial tomorrow.
The only survivor in the tragic crash that Kiptum and his Rwandan coach claimed she alerted the athlete immediately after the ill-fated car suddenly started veering off the road.
A police officer privy to the investigations said Sharon Chepkurui Kosgei, 24, revealed that Kiptum lost control of the vehicle before it veered off the road.
"She told us that she saw the vehicle veering off and immediately shouted at him to return back to the road.
"After shouting, the vehicle accelerated far off the road, landing in the ditch before hitting a wall. That was the last thing she remembers," the source said.
Initially, however, the car was said to have hit a tree after veering off the road.
Photos by Lynn Kolongei and Christopher Chesang.