Nairobi News

Samples from the body of World Marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum have been taken to Nairobi for toxicological analysis, after a postmortem report showed that he died of multiple head injuries suffered in a road accident.

Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor revealed yesterday that the internationally celebrated athlete succumbed to these injuries from the accident on February 11. He died together with his
Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizamana who was a passenger in the car.

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However, Oduor who performed the autopsy at the Eldoret Hospital where the athlete’s body has been lying, said a full forensic toxicological analysis will be necessary because the circumstances of the death are still being investigated.

“We have taken further samples for toxicological analysis to see if there could be other results about this death,” stated Odour.

The toxicological analysis will take a few weeks before results are known.

The postmortem on the departed star athlete who broke the world marathon record late last year was conducted on Wednesday, February 21, at the Eldoret Hospital in the presence of the deceased family.

While releasing the postmortem report, Odour said the athlete suffered multiple head injuries, which also resulted in severe skull fractures together with severe rib injuries.

The Chief government pathologist announced the results of the autopsy in the presence of the family members of the fallen marathoner and athletes who had gathered at the hospital since morning.

Oduor further revealed that there were more fractures on both sides of the athlete’s ribs as well as some lung injuries as a result of the accident impact.

The pathologist also said that the deceased had some injuries to the lungs, concluding that what killed Kiptum was severe head inquiries emanating from a motor vehicle accident.

According to National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research, development, and evaluation agency of the US Department of Justice, forensic toxicology is the analysis of biological samples for the presence of toxins, including drugs.

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A toxicology report can provide key information as to the type of substances present in an individual and if the amount of those substances is consistent with a therapeutic dosage or is above a harmful level.

“These results can be used to make inferences when determining a substance’s potential effect on an individual’s death, illness, or mental or physical impairment,” states NIJ, in an online article on forensic toxicology.

Oduor said due to the many theories about the cause of the athlete’s death, he was forced to go to Eldoret to conduct a postmortem to determine the cause and to avert further speculation.

Kiptum’s family spokesman Philip Kiplagat said they were satisfied with the autopsy report.

“We have interacted with the pathologist and as a family, we are satisfied even though we are waiting for further report on the samples sent to Nairobi,” said Kiplagat.

Kiptum will be laid to rest at Naiberi village in Uasin Gishu on Friday, February 23.

A postmortem was also conducted on the body of Hakizimana last week establishing that he died from head injuries

Hakizamana’s postmortem was conducted by Benson Macharia from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret.

The Rwandan coach was buried at the Rusororo Public Cemetery in Kigali, Rwanda on Wednesday, February 21. Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba led a delegation from Kenya in paying final rites.

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A requiem mass was held on Wednesday for the departed coach at the Chepsamo Primary School in Elgeyo Marakwet.

Kiptum rose to the limelight after he won the Valencia Marathon in Spain clocking 2:01:53 becoming the fastest debutant, before triumphing at the 2023 London Marathon in a course record of 2:01:25.

In October last year, he broke the world record in winning the Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:00:35, lowering Eliud Kipchoge’s previous record of 2:01:09.

Sharon Kosgei, the sole survivor of the accident, in a statement to the police, said that Kiptum lost control of the vehicle before landing in a ditch.