NAIROBI – Marathon world record holder and Paris Olympics favorite Kelvin Kiptum has died in a road accident in western Kenya, police said.
The 24-year-old was driving from Kaptagat to Eldoret around 11pm on Sunday when his car overturned, killing the young sensation and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana.
“There were three people in the car, two died at the scene and one was taken to hospital. Kiptam and Coach,” he said.
“Kiptam was driving towards Eldoret when the car lost control and overturned, killing both people on the spot. A female passenger was injured and rushed to hospital,” he told reporters. He was transported,” he said.
Kiptam burst onto the marathon scene in October by setting a world record of 2:00:35 in Chicago, beating fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge's previous record by 34 seconds.
At the time, he was only 23 years old and competing in only his third marathon.
Kiptam also won in two other efforts, his debut in Valencia in 2022 and his follow-up in London the following year.
The Kenyan had announced his intention to become the first man to run an official marathon in under two hours on April 14 in Rotterdam.
He was the overwhelming favorite to win the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
World Athletics recalled Kiptum as “one of the most exciting new prospects to emerge in road running in recent years.”
“We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the devastating deaths of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakijimana,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said in a statement.
“On behalf of World Athletics, I would like to express our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the people of Kenya.”
