Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya has died aged 24.
Kiptum, along with his coach, Rwanda’s Gervais Hakizimana, died in a traffic accident on Monday, according to multiple reports.
The crash happened on a road between the towns of Eldoret and Kaptagat in western Kenya, a noted high-altitude training centre for long-distance athletes.
Kiptum set the world record of 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon in October, last year.
That record was only ratified by World Athletics on February 7, just five days before his untimely death.
Kiptum’s breakthrough came in 2023 as a rival to compatriot Eliud Kipchoge – one of the greatest marathon runners in the world at the moment.
Kiptum bettered Kipchoge’s record, clocking the 26.2 miles (42km) in two hours and 35 seconds in Chicago in October 2023
The two athletes had been named in Kenya’s provisional marathon team for the Paris Olympics later this year.
Tributes have been pouring in their numbers since his sudden demise came to light.
From fellow athletes to government officials, his newfound fans and sports enthusiasts, they all had one common theme; ‘there was so much potential in him.’
(This story will be updated later as we get further information regarding the incident)
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