Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kenyans.co.ke
Published on 2024-02-23 19:26:17
The sports world was left in shock following the untimely death of Kelvin Kiptum, a rising star and world record holder in the marathon. Kiptum’s career, which began to flourish just a few years ago, came to a tragic end on Sunday, February 11. His breakthrough moment came in October 2023 when he smashed the marathon record with a remarkable time of 2:00:35, surpassing the legendary Eliud Kipchoge’s previous record of 2:01:09.
In his short but promising career, Kiptum participated in a total of 13 races, both locally and internationally, and was sponsored by Golazo Company, a prominent institution known for organizing recreational sports events in Europe. Despite his impressive performances and stardom on the global stage, Kiptum was yet to receive the full amount of his earnings due to the processes involved in transferring funds from event organizers to the management company representing the athlete.
During his career, Kiptum accumulated over Ksh46 million from his winnings and endorsements. The Golazo Company manager, Marc Corstjens, confirmed that all the money owed to the late athlete would be used to establish a foundation for his children’s education. The company emphasized its commitment to supporting young children through their educational journey in honor of Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakiziman.
Before his passing, Kiptum had used part of his earnings to improve the lives of his family members. He had purchased a four-acre farm for his father, Samson Cheruiyot, with a promise to build a house on the property. President William Ruto ensured that the promise was fulfilled by overseeing the construction of the house in just seven days, which was handed over to the family during the funeral service in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Kiptum’s father revealed that the athlete had also promised to buy him a car as a token of appreciation for his support. Unfortunately, these promises could not be fulfilled as Kiptum’s life was cut short unexpectedly.
In terms of earnings, Kiptum earned a significant amount for his record-breaking performances. For breaking the World record in the 2023 Chicago Marathon, he received a total of Ksh27.3 million from various sources, including event organizers, sponsors, and the Kenyan government. He also earned substantial rewards for winning other marathons such as the TCS London Marathon and the Valencia Marathon.
However, it is important to note that athletes’ earnings are typically subject to taxation by the host country where the race takes place. For instance, Kenyan athletes competing in the US are required to pay a 30% tax on their winnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
During Kiptum’s funeral service, Sports CS Ababu Namwamba pledged to ensure that all funds owed to the late athlete would be collected and channeled towards benefiting his family. The ministry expressed its commitment to tracking down every coin owed to Kiptum from various sources to support his loved ones in their time of need.
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