Coach Hakizimana runs final lap, body flown back to Rwanda
Athletics Kenya’s Youth Development Committee Chairman, Barnaba Korir (second right), Uwase Sandrine( third right), niece of the late Gervais Hakizimana, the Rwandan coach of Kelvin Kiptum, Elgeyo Marakwet County’s Chief Executive Committee for Sports, Purity Koima (right), and other mourners, collect the casket carrying the remains of Gervais Hakizimana at Eldoret Hospital Mortuary in Uasin Gishu County on February 17, 2024.
What you need to know:
- He holds the Rwandan national record of 8:39.05 in the 3,000m steeplechase race.
- Hazikimana made an unsuccessful attempt at the marathon before venturing into coaching.
The body of Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana, who died on Sunday in a road accident that also claimed the life of world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum, was set to leave the country on Saturday for Kigali, where he will be laid to rest on Wednesday.
The family of the coach and Athletics Kenya officials on Saturday collected the body at the Eldoret Hospital Mortuary before making their way to Eldoret International Airport, where the body is expected to depart via Jambo Jet to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.
The body is then expected to be transported to Kigali by RwandAir at 8.50pm and is scheduled to land in Kigali at 9.30pm on Saturday.
Athletics Kenya Youth Development Director Barnaba Korir, who was at the morgue to oversee the process, said that the exercise has been smooth since the Kenyan government helped to hasten the process.
“We want to thank the government for the support through the Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, who has been closely following the proceedings," Korir said.
“We shall have some people who will be travelling to Rwanda to support the family on Wednesday during the burial including the Golazo CEO Bob Verbeeck,” said Korir.
Korir added that the incident shocked the whole world.
“The two were really close and the discipline that Kiptum had was because the coach was always monitoring him and that is why he went ahead and broke the world record in the Chicago Marathon in October last year,” added Korir.
Korir said he had known coach Hakizimana for a long time after he helped him to go to the USA for studies.
He also confirmed that the burial of the late Kiptum will take place next Friday, where high-ranking government officials and athletics stakeholders are expected to attend.
Uwase Sandrine, Boniface Nsengiyumva and their mother, Christine Ntakirutimana (Hakizimana’s sister), and the widow Joan Chelimo, were also at the mortuary.
Hakizimana, who is also the Rwandan 3,000m steeplechase national record holder, started training Kiptum in 2019.
Hakizimana was born in Nyaruguru, Rwanda, 37 years ago, and he first visited Kenya in 2006.
He competed at the World Cross Championships in Mombasa in 2007, finishing 53rd in 39:19 in the men’s 12km senior category.
He holds the Rwandan national record of 8:39.05 in the 3,000m steeplechase race.
Hazikimana made an unsuccessful attempt at the marathon before venturing into coaching.
