V 14 N. 11 Kelvin Kiptum Marathon World Record Holder R.I.P.

 

It is with much regret that we have to announce the death of Kelvin Kiptum, world record holder in the marathon at the age of 24.  He died in an auto accident along with his coach Rwandan Gervais Hakizimana in Western Kenya.  His time of 2 hours  35  sec. was set last fall in the Chicago Marathon.

This more updated report from BBC is now available.

Kelvin Kiptum's Untimely Passing  

The following is an early report from BBCBy Celestine KaroneyBBC Sport Africa, Nairobi

Getty Images

Kelvin Kiptum broke Eliud Kipchoge's world record in Chicago last October

The men's marathon world record holder, Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum, 24, has died in a road accident in his home country.

He was killed alongside his coach, Rwanda's Gervais Hakizimana, in a car on a road in western Kenya on Sunday.

Kiptum made a breakthrough in 2023 as a rival to compatriot Eliud Kipchoge - one of the greatest marathon runners.

And it was in Chicago last October that Kiptum bettered Kipchoge's achievement, clocking the 26.1 miles (42km) in two hours and 35 seconds.

The two athletes had been named in Kenya's provisional marathon team for the Paris Olympics later this year.

Paying tribute to Kiptum, Kenyan Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba wrote on X: "Devastatingly sickening!! Kenya has lost a special gem. Lost for words."

Kenya's opposition leader and former prime minister, Raila Odinga, said the country had lost "a true hero" and was mourning "a remarkable individual... and Kenyan athletics icon".

Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, said Kiptum was "an incredible athlete leaving an incredible legacy, we will miss him dearly".

The road accident happened at about 23:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on Sunday, police were quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

Giving further details of the crash, police said Kiptum was the driver, and the vehicle "lost control and rolled, killing the two on the spot".

A spokesman quoted by AFP added that the third passenger - who was female - had been injured and "rushed to hospital".

Just last week, his team announced that he would attempt to run the distance in under two hours at the Rotterdam marathon - a feat that has never been achieved in open competition.

The rise to fame for the father-of-two had been rapid - he only ran his first full marathon in 2022.

He competed in his first major competition four years earlier running in borrowed shoes as he could not afford a pair of his own.

He was among a new crop of Kenyan athletes who began their careers on the road, breaking away from the past tradition of athletes starting on the track before switching to longer distances.

At a gathering to watch the superbowl this evening a gal that ran track at Penn st ( many years ago )  reported 

this      There's a picture of him with the owner of the Eugene running company, running store in the store. 

He was there promoting the Nike flyknit running shoe   

very sad the way this happened  

Mike Waters  

When I read the first line, my thought was "who now?" envisioning a veteran of the '64 Olympics.  Wow, 24!  Remember who you were at 24?  I sure remember 24.  What an idiot I was.  Like to think I've made progress since then as the bar was set pretty low.

Roy Mason

 Sad to hear this.  Runners like Kiptum were not just athletes who weren't good at team sports and consequently switched to running, but instead were runners who everybody knew they could not beat in a million years and whose athleticism was astounding to all who watched them perform.  Bill Schnier