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President Ruto led the launch of Kelvin Kiptum Foundation to honour the late world marathon record holder while offering some financial support.
President William Ruto unveiled the Kelvin Kiptum Foundation aimed at furthering the legacy of the late world marathon record holder.
Kiptum, who died following a road accident in February, will see his memory honoured through the foundation that will predominantly provide financial support for education, infrastructure and the support of young marathon runners in Kenya.
By establishing a marathon team and training facilities for young runners, the foundation offers them the opportunity for a possible future in athletics.
Kiptum’s management company Golazo, contributed the first 50,000 euros (Ksh6.9 million) to the fund, symbolic of 1 euro per participant in the Rotterdam Marathon held in April, where Kiptum had planned to run a sub-two-hour marathon before his untimely death.
The government also chipped in with Ksh5 million during Saturday’s launch that happened at the eighth edition of the Kaptagat tree planting event.
As an act of kindness, the Rotterdam race organisers also pledged to help develop athletics training facilities in Kiptum’s Chepkorio home area to as well as starting a marathon team that would offer a future to budding athletes.
Kiptum died just a week after his world record of 2:00:35 had been ratified, having set it in Chicago in November 2023.
That was just his third win in as many races after victories in Valencia in December 2022 and London 2023 having clocked three of the five fastest times in history.
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