Kenya’s marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach had their lives tragically cut short in a road accident in the Rift Valley. Kiptum, the only person to run a marathon in under two hours and one minute, was driving with his Rwandan coach and another passenger near his rural village when the accident happened, as reported by the police.
The athlete lost control of the vehicle, swerving off the road and traveling about 60 meters along a ditch before crashing into a large tree.
Kiptum and Hakizimana tragically passed away at the scene, while 24-year-old Sharon Chepkurui Kosgei Keiyo survived with serious injuries and received treatment at a local hospital. Tributes poured in from senior Kenyan politicians and fellow athletes. President William Ruto praised Kiptum’s mental strength and discipline, calling him the future of Kenyan athletics. Eliud Kipchoge, who was anticipated to race Kiptum at the Paris Olympics, expressed deep sadness over the loss of the “rising star,” highlighting Kiptum’s potential for incredible greatness in the future.
The 24-year-old Kelvin Kiptum made headlines by setting a new world record at the Chicago Marathon in October, completing the race in two hours and 35 seconds, surpassing Eliud Kipchoge’s previous record of 2:01:09. Kiptum, who boasted three of the seven fastest marathon times ever recorded, had ambitious plans ahead.
He aimed to break the two-hour barrier in race conditions at the Rotterdam Marathon in April and looked forward to making his Olympic debut in Paris in July. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe expressed shock and deep sadness at the tragic loss of Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, in a statement.