The male marathon world record holder, Kelvin Kiptum, died in a traffic accident. In addition to the 24-year-old athlete, his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana also lost his life in the accident that happened on the road between Eldoret and Kaptagat in Kenya. The third passenger of the car, a woman, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Kelvin Kiptum (1999–2024)
Photo: Tony Karumba / AFP
Kaptagat police chief Denis Muga reported that Kiptum was driving and no other vehicle was involved in the accident. Kenneth Kimaiyo, Kiptum’s friend, who arrived at the scene shortly after the accident, said the car veered off the road at high speed and hit a tree.
The Kenyan star ran his legendary world record at the Chicago Marathon in 2023, with a time of 2:00:35, making him the first to complete the classic distance within 2:01 minutes.
“An incredible athlete who left behind an incredible legacy, we will miss him very much”, Sebastian Coe, the president of the International Athletics Federation, was among the first to express his condolences, indicating that his world record run on October 8 was ratified just a few days ago. Kiptum would have traveled to the Paris Olympics as a big contender, in the men’s marathon there was a prospect of a big battle between him and his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge, the former world record holder.