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Kelvin Kiptum, the current world record holder in marathons, along with his coach Garvis Hakizimana from Rwanda, tragically passed away in a devastating road accident on Sunday night, prompting widespread sorrow globally.
The fatal collision occurred around 11 pm at Kaptagat area along the Elgeyo Marakwet-Ravine road, where both Kiptum and Hakizimana lost their lives instantly due to the severity of the accident.
Kiptum gained prominence in the athletics world with his remarkable marathon debut in Valencia in 2022, followed by his triumph at the London Marathon in April 2023, setting a new course record of 2:01:25.
However, his most remarkable achievement came in October, when he broke the men’s world record with a stunning time of 2:00:35, becoming the first person to complete a marathon in under two hours and one minute, surpassing Eliud Kipchoge’s previous record by 34 seconds.
The validation of Kiptum’s world marathon record had been confirmed just a week prior by the international track federation World Athletics. He was gearing up to start his new season at the Rotterdam Marathon on April 14 before aiming to represent Kenya at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe expressed shock and profound sadness at the loss of Kiptum and Hakizimana, extending heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, teammates, and the entire Kenyan nation.
Coe also reflected on the significance of Kiptum’s achievement, acknowledging his legacy as an exceptional athlete whose memory will be cherished deeply.
