After competing at the 2019 London Marathon, where she finished fifth, retired marathon great Mary Keitany and her family took a short holiday to Rome, Italy.
Her manager, Gianni Demadonna, suggested they visit the Vatican instead of their usual stop at his home. At the London Marathon race, she crossed the finish line in 2:20:58 in a race won by compatriot Brigid Kosgei in 2:18:20.
“When I was going to London, my manager Gianni Demadonna informed me of the possibility of going to Rome to meet Pope Francis, but we knew how difficult it would be,” she recalled.
On April 30,2019, they attended a mass conducted by Pope Francis at St Peter’s Square.
Keitany, along with her husband Charles Koech and their children Jared Kipchumba and Assumpta Samantha Jerop, joined a small mass attended mostly by priests and nuns.
According to Keitany, the mass lasted about 15 minutes, and they were content just having been so close to the Pope. But outside St Peter’s Square, they experienced an unforgettable moment.
“We thought we would just see him at a distance, but meeting him and shaking hands is something that left us with a lot of joy. We didn’t expect to find him outside, and he was interested to know us and where we came from, and we interacted for a few minutes,” said Keitany.
Her daughter, Assumpta, six years old at the time, caught the Pope’s attention by presenting him with a photo that had his portrait in the background.
“I packed the picture for her, and when the two met, she showed him the photo and he asked her name, and she responded Assumpta, a name that was given to her by the late Bishop Cornelius Korir,” Keitany said.
Keitany explained that Bishop Korir had blessed their family when she was pregnant, suggesting the names Francis for a boy or Assumpta for a girl.
“We got a girl and that’s how she ended up with that name,” she added.
The Pope was delighted to receive the photo from Assumpta and encouraged the family to continue working hard both in sports and in God's service.
“He also asked my son what his name was and what we do. We told him and explained that I am an active athlete. He told us to work hard and use the talent given by God well,” Keitany said.
The news of Pope Francis’ death on Easter Monday came as a shock to Keitany, who was at her home in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, when she spoke to Nation Sport about her brief but memorable interaction with the Pope.
Keitany, a four-time New York Marathon champion and a staunch Catholic, initially thought news of Pope Francis' death was one of the usual rumours circulating on social media. It only hit home when she watched the 1pm news on local television.
She admitted that after meeting him, her family learned to embrace a humble life and continue working hard in their church ministry.
Reflecting on his passing, Keitany expressed sadness, having just seen him conducting Easter service the day before.
Keitany remains one of Kenya’s most decorated marathoners, having competed in and won various major races.
She and her husband held their wedding on December 31, 2011, and celebrated their 11th anniversary on December 31, 2022.
Keitany announced her retirement from athletics on September 22, 2021.
She broke the marathon world record for a women-only race, having clocked a stunning 2:17:01 when winning the third of her London Marathon titles in 2017.
Keitany first came to global attention in 2007, after local success in Kenya the previous year, with a series of good performances in European half marathons which then earned her a place in the Kenyan team at that year’s World Half Marathon Championships.
On November 4, 2022, she was inducted into the New York Road Races Hall of Fame in USA.
“After my successful 2019, when I had some good results including second place in New York, I was hopeful that I could still be very competitive internationally for several more years even though I am in my late 30s,” she said on her retirement.
