NANDI COUNTY, Kenya (Reuters) – Slain long-distance Olympic runner Agnes Tirop, a rising star in Kenya’s extremely aggressive athletics scene, was buried on Saturday at a funeral attended by over 1,000 mourners.
Tirop was discovered stabbed to loss of life in her house within the Rift Valley city of Iten on Oct. 13, in an incident that has shone the highlight on violence towards girls https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/two-deaths-shine-spotlight-violence-against-women-kenya-2021-10-15 in Kenya.
Her funeral was held on the day she would have turned 26. Mourners together with fellow athletes lined as much as scatter flowers on a white coffin. An image of Tirop, grinning and holding up a bronze medal, was positioned on prime of the coffin.
“For us Kenyans, we have now misplaced a hero,” stated Hellen Obiri, the ladies’s 5,000m world champion and a mentor to Tirop. “I informed her that in 2022, she was to go and defend my titles and signify our nation,” Obiri stated, her eyes shining with tears.
Police arrested Tirop’s husband, Ibrahim Rotich, within the coastal metropolis of Mombasa final week, and he has been arraigned on suspicion of her homicide. Neither Rotich, nor his representatives, have made any public feedback on the case.
Final month, Tirop smashed the women-only 10km world file in Germany. She received bronze medals on the 2017 and 2019 World Championships within the 10,000m.
Tirop grew up in a humble farming household within the Kenyan highlands in Nandi County. Her expertise for operating grew to become obvious in fourth grade, when she received a cross-country race and she or he quickly entered into and received worldwide juniors races. Her profession had been on the rise ever since.
After her killing, police present in her house an athletics trophy that she had but to unwrap.
“A disciplined, well mannered athlete… I have no idea. I have no idea what to say,” stated coach Julius Kirwa.
(Reporting by Edwin Waita; Writing by Ayenat Mersie; Modifying by Frances Kerry)
