The funeral for Kenya's world marathon record-holder Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a weekend car crash, will be held on February 24, an athletics official said on Wednesday, with the government promising a "heroic farewell".
Kiptum will be buried at the family home in Chepsamo near Eldoret, the heartland of Kenyan distance running in the west of the country, Athletics Kenya executive committee member Barnabas Korir told AFP.
"We have settled on February 24 following consultations with the family and the government which have taken over all the funeral arrangements and protocol," Korir said, a day after visiting the bereaved family.
Police said Kiptum, a 24-year-old father of two, was killed after the car he was driving veered into a ditch and ploughed into a tree in the Eldoret area on Sunday night.
Shocked world
His Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana also died in the accident while a woman passenger was injured.
Kiptum's death, just four months after he broke the world marathon record, shocked Kenya and the world of athletics.
"We expect some high dignitaries to attend the burial including the President William Ruto and the head of World Athletics Seb Coe," Korir said.
He added that the funeral service would be funded by the government.
'Heroic farewell'
"In honour of Kenya's departed world marathon record holder, a true national hero, the Government will support Kiptum's family in according him a befitting heroic farewell," Kenya's cabinet said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Kiptum was a sporting powerhouse whose record shattering achievements inspired millions around the world. He remains the only human in history to run a marathon under two hours and 1 minute."
Kiptum shattered the world record in Chicago in October last year, slicing 34 seconds off the previous fastest time set by his Kenyan rival, Eliud Kipchoge.
Olympics favourite
The young athlete had competed in only three marathons, and recorded three of the all-time fastest seven times for the event.
He was the favourite to take gold at the Paris Olympics, where he was expected to go head to head with Kipchoge for the first time.
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