Kenya’s marathon world record holder Kiptum died alongside his coach in a road accident late Sunday, leaving the sport stunned and reeling at the loss of one of its brightest young stars. The 24-year-old had only recently clocked two hours and one minute over the 26 miles (42 km) endurance classic at Chicago last October, a new world record time that had put him among the favorites for this summer’s Olympic race in Paris.
Police say that Kiptum and his coach, Rwandan Gervais Hakizimana, were driving their car between Kaptagat and Eldoret in the Rift Valley when it lost control at around 11 pm local time. The car veered into a ditch and struck a tree, killing the pair and injuring another woman who was in the vehicle.
The crash occurred near the village of Kaptagat, where Kiptum was born and still lives, not far from Eldoret’s high-altitude training center. The road is a favorite training area for Kenya’s top athletes and has been the scene of several high-profile accidents in recent years.
Sebastian Coe, World Athletics president, said he was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the deaths. “Kelvin was a truly exceptional athlete who had only just come into his own as a superstar of long-distance running,” he said in a statement. “His record in Chicago last month was remarkable, and his potential for greatness was unbounded.”
Kiptum made his marathon debut in Valencia in 2022 and won the London and Chicago races the following year. He became the youngest man to win three of the seven fastest-recorded times ever. He was due to attempt his first sub-two-hour marathon in Rotterdam in April this year and had been expected to lead the charge at the Olympics in Paris in August.
Tributes poured in on social media after the news of his death broke. Kiptum’s former marathon rival Eliud Kipchoge wrote on Twitter that he was “shocked and devastated by the tragic loss of Kelvin and his coach.” Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga posted a photo of the runner with a message: “Devastating news to hear of the passing of the incredibly talented & gifted Kelvin Kiptum. Prayers to his family.”
Athletes and friends gathered at the hospital mortuary in the capital, Nairobi, where the bodies of Kiptum and Hakizimana were taken, with one of the sport’s most prominent female stars, former women’s steeplechase world champion Milcah Chemos, struggling to speak through tears. Kiptum’s father was also in attendance.
Photos showed the silver car the pair were traveling in with a badly mangled roof and one of the doors flung open. Kenneth Kimaiyo, a friend of the two, said he arrived at the crash site soon after it occurred and that Kiptum had been thrown out of the vehicle. He added: “There are no words to explain this. It’s a tragedy.” One of Kenya’s most popular sportswriters, journalist, and commentator, Robert de Castella, tweeted: “Shocking tragedy! A rising star is gone. It highlights how precious life is and that we all can go at any moment.”
