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Ugandan steeplechaser Benjamin Kiplagat was laid to rest in Eldoret, mourned by elite athletes in a heartfelt, tearful ceremony.
Slain Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat has been laid to rest in his ancestral home in Eldoret marking the end of a journey for a man celebrated both in his birthplace of Kenya and his adopted country, Uganda.
The 34-year-old Kenyan-born Olympian met a tragic end, found dead with a stab wound to his neck on a road on the outskirts of the Rift Valley town of Eldoret on New Year's Eve.
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Kiplagat, who made his mark in the 3,000m steeplechase, representing Uganda in three Olympic Games and six World Championships, was buried at the family farm in the village of Kamendi, over 60 kilometers from Eldoret.
This solemn event brought together not just family and friends, but also a host of elite athletes and officials from both Kenya and Uganda, reflecting the impact Kiplagat had on the sport and the people around him.
Joshua Cheptegei, the 10,000m world record holder, represented the Ugandan government during the burial.
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In a heartfelt tribute, he said, "This sudden news was heartbreaking for every stakeholder in Uganda. What he has done cannot be rewritten or understated. Kiplagat is a hero. He was our mentor; even when I arrived in Kaptagat in 2015, he welcomed me like a younger brother."
Cheptegei's words echoed the sentiments of many at the funeral, highlighting Kiplagat's role not just as an athlete but as a mentor and a friend.
The funeral was attended by several prominent figures in athletics, including former 3,000m Steeplechase Olympic Champion Ezekiel Kemboi, former Marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, former women's marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, and Double Olympic champion and women's 1,500m world record holder Faith Kipyegon.
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The circumstances surrounding Kiplagat's death have shaken the athletic community.
Two men were charged in Kenya on January 2nd over his death, with the motive still unknown.
Reports suggest that Kiplagat had been "waylaid" by the two men before he hit their motorcycle with his car.
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This has led to a 21-day detention order for the suspects to enable police to continue their investigations into the killing.
In Uganda, athletics officials and athletes had been trying to raise money for a funeral in the country, hoping Kiplagat would be buried in the town of Kapchorwa on the Uganda-Kenya border, where he owned a farm.
However, he was ultimately laid to rest in his family's ancestral home.
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