More than 1 000 mourners gathered in Nandi County, Kenya on Saturday to lay to rest Olympic runner Agnes Tirop. The Kenyan rising star was found stabbed to death in her home on October 13, in a case that has shone the spotlight on violence against women.
Her funeral was held on what would have been her 26th birthday. Agnes Tirop was born on the 23rd of October. She was baptized on the 23rd of October and she is buried today on 23rd of October.
Police arrested Tirop’s husband in Mombasa last week and he has been arraigned on suspicion of her murder. Neither Rotich nor his representatives have made any public comments on the case.
Hellen Obiri is the women’s 5 000-meter world champion and a mentor to Tirop.
“For us Kenyans, we have lost a hero who has been fighting for our country. You know when we are racing in a lot of championships it is like going to war because it is not an easy task to run and bring fame to our country Kenya.”
Tirop smashed the women-only 10km world record in Germany just last month. She won bronze medals at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships in the 10 000m.
After her killing, police found an athletics trophy in her home that she had yet to unwrap.
