Kenya’s capital, Nairobi World record holder for marathons Kelvin Kiptum was murdered in a car crash in Kenya, along with his coach. Kiptum was expected to become a long-distance running superstar and be a strong contender for gold at the Olympics in Paris this year.
Kiptum was driving when their car drove off the road, into a ditch, and then struck a tree late on Sunday night, according to authorities. Their car was the only one involved in the collision.
After only three appearances in an elite marathon, Kenya’s 24 year old Kiptum shattered the world record, making him one of the most exciting prospects to emerge in road running in recent years. Just last week, World Athletics, an international track body, affirmed the record he achieved at the Chicago Marathon the previous year.
Kenya, a country where runners are the biggest sports stars, was rocked by his death. Following a series of deaths in car accidents, other mishaps, and cases of spousal abuse, Kenyans have also grown accustomed to hearing heartbreaking stories about their best athletes.
“He was only 24,” William Ruto, the president of Kenya, said in a statement expressing his sympathy. We were Kiptum’s future.
Around 11 p.m., Kiptum and his Rwandan instructor, Gervais Hakizimana, perished in the collision, according to the police. It took place in the western Kenyan town of Kaptagat, in the center of the high-altitude region that serves as a training camp for the world’s top distance runners as well as those from Kenya.
Kiptum grew up in this region from birth.
According to authorities, a third individual in the vehicle, a 24-year-old lady, suffered significant injuries and was transported to a hospital. Hakizimana and Kiptum passed away right away.
When Kiptum and his coach were carried to the hospital mortuary, athletes and family members, including Kiptum’s father, gathered there. Former world steeplechase champion Milcah Chemos was among the participants, sobbing uncontrollably and finding it difficult to communicate.
“I am at a loss for words to describe Kelvin’s passing,” she uttered.
Kiptum’s buddy Kenneth Kimaiyo reported that when he got to the crash scene shortly after it happened, Kiptum had been flung out of the vehicle. Images of the silver automobile showed the windshield crushed flat and the roof severely damaged.
Kiptum broke the record set by fellow Kenyan and legendary marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, the current two-time Olympic champion, in October in Chicago, becoming the first man to complete the distance in under two hours and one minute during an official event.
Kiptum was scheduled to begin his season at the Rotterdam Marathon in April, which would have been his first event since shattering the world mark. Kipchoge and Kiptum were expected to present an all-Kenyan battle for marathon gold in Paris.
In a letter honoring him, Kipchoge wrote, “An athlete who had a whole life ahead of him to achieve incredible greatness.”
One of the first people to post condolences on X, the former Twitter platform, was Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics.
We are horrified and extremely grieved to hear about Kelvin Kiptum’s and his instructor Gervais Hakizimana’s tragic deaths, Coe said.
“I was just able to formally confirm Kelvin’s incredible marathon World Record time earlier this week in Chicago, where he accomplished it. We shall really miss this amazing athlete who is leaving an amazing legacy.”
Kenya’s two-time 800-meter Olympic champion David Rudisha posted on X that Kiptum’s passing was “a huge loss.”
At the 2022 Valencia Marathon, Kiptum set a record for the fastest time ever by a marathon rookie. This gave him instant success. He took first place in two of the world’s most renowned marathons, the London and Chicago races, the following year. At the London Marathon in April of last year, he broke the course record, and a few months later, he was the fastest marathoner in the world.
He was considered a rare talent, even though he was still young and relatively new to the circuit. He had already run three of the seven fastest marathon times ever recorded.
However, he was also the most recent well-known Kenyan person to pass away tragically.
Silver medallist David Lelei at the All-Africa Games passed away in a car accident in 2010. Francis Kiplagat, a marathon runner, was one of five victims of a crash in 2018. In addition, Nicholas Bett, the world champion in the 400-meter hurdles in 2015, passed away in an automobile accident in 2018.
Rudisha, Olympic silver medallist Paul Tergat, and former 10,000-meter world champion Moses Tanui have all escaped catastrophic traffic catastrophes in the nation of East Africa.
The 2008 Olympic marathon winner and future great Samuel Wanjiru passed away in 2011 at the age of 24 after jumping off the balcony of his Kenyan house.
When repeated cross-country world champion Agnes Tirop was fatally killed in her house in 2021—possibly by her husband—Kenyans were presumably most horrified. Murder was the charge brought against him.
