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The international athletics family woke up to the devastating news that marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum had died in a motor vehicle accident on Sunday, which also claimed the life of his coach, World Athletics has confirmed.
The 24-year-old Kenyan distance runner was coached by Gervais Hakizimana (36) from Rwanda, who was also in the car when the two perished in Eldoret, Kenya, on Sunday night.
Kiptum was emerging as the new prospect in road running, steadily taking over from his compatriots, who have set the benchmark over the years for the classic marathon distance, the 42km.
Last year, in just his third marathon, he broke the world record in a winning time of 2:00:35 in Chicago, US.
The feat at the Chicago Marathon in October last year eclipsed the mark set by his compatriot, two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge’s record, set at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, by 34 seconds.
Rest in peace Kelvin. ?? pic.twitter.com/QqivOklTxk
— Eliud Kipchoge - EGH???? (@EliudKipchoge) February 12, 2024
Kiptum was preparing to line up in the Rotterdam Marathon in the Netherlands in April in an attempt to break the two-hour barrier.
In a statement, World Athletics wrote that they were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Kiptum and his coach.
The affable athlete was named the 2023 world athlete of the year by World Athletics, a category that is outside of the track and field in the global sports' awards list.
Said World Athletics president Sebastian Coe:
Coe added: “It was only earlier this week in Chicago, the place where Kelvin set his extraordinary marathon world record, that I was able to officially ratify his historic time.
FAST FACTS
Who was Kiptum?
Born and raised in Chepsamo Village in Chepkorio, 30km from Eldoret in the Rift Valley, Kiptum worked on his family’s cattle farm in his youth.
He started running at about the age of 13 and would follow local marathon runners on the local trails and roads.
He entered his first half marathon – the Eldoret Half Marathon – and placed 10th overall. Just five years later, in 2018, at the age of 18, he won the race.
Kiptum made his international debut in 2019 while still a teenager and clocked 59:54 to finish fifth at the Lisbon Half Marathon.
Between 2019 and 2021, he broke 60 minutes for the half marathon on six occasions.
But it was at longer distances where he excelled, and that soon became apparent at the 2022 Valencia Marathon when he won in a time of 2:01:53.
The time was a course record and the fastest debut marathon in history and was rated third on the world all-time list, behind distance running legends, Kenyan Eliud Kipchog and Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia.
In April 2023, he won the 2023 London Marathon with a course record of 2:01:25.
Six months later, he clinched the Chicago Marathon in a world record of 2:00:35. Kiptum had not raced since then.
– World Athletics
