Olympian Agnes Tirop buried in Mosoriot, Nandi County

Kenyan Olympian Agnes Tirop, who was found murdered last week, has been laid to rest in her family home in Mosoriot, Nandi County.

The funeral was attended by family, close friends and colleagues.

The world 10,000m bronze medalist Agnes Tirop, who was found dead over a week ago in her Iten home. 

On Friday, members of the public lined up the streets of Kenya's athletics hotbed as Tirop's journey to her final destination began at the Eldoret Hospital mortuary where she had been lying ever since the murder, in which her husband Ibrahim 'Manuu' Rotich is the main suspect. 

In solidarity with her on this ultimate journey were her peers on the track and field who had watched her blossom from a teen sensation into a long-distance runner to watch in the coming years. 

Tears flowed freely as athletes, officials, as well as family and friends, recounted their best memories of the 25-year old. 

"It is so painful to lose such a talented athlete . She is somebody I have interacted with throughout my career and competed alongside her at the World Cross Country Championships in March 2013 in Poland. Agnes has been a friend and someone we have grown with in athletics," Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon said. 

The athletes also held a peaceful procession in protest against Gender Based Violence against athletes.

Their voices against this vice could not be any louder, beginning from a banner emblazoned with Tirop's image and the message, “End Gender Violence”, to their statements at the requiem mass, to nail the point home. 

Among the athletes in attendance were Rio Olympics javelin silver medalist Julius Yego, former 800m world champion Janeth Jepkosgei, former 3,000m steeplechase world champion Milcah Chemos, former world 800m champion Eunice Sum and marathon queen Mary Keitany,  among others. 

Across their t-shirts were images of Tirop's wide smile after clinching bronze in the women's 10,000m at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019. 

From the morgue, the cortege snaked its way along the Eldoret-Kapsabet Road to Kapnyamisa Primary School in Nandi County for a requiem mass as onlookers waved goodbye to their fallen heroine.