Kelvin Kiptum, the 24-year-old marathon world record-holder and a prominent figure for the Paris Olympics, tragically lost his life in a car accident in western Kenya.
The incident occurred as Kiptum, accompanied by his coach Gervais Hakizimana, was driving from Kaptagat to Eldoret around 11 pm on Sunday when the car rolled, resulting in the death of both.
According to Peter Mulinge, the police commander for Elgeyo Marakwet County, where the accident happened, "The car had three occupants, two died on the spot, while one was taken to the hospital. The two are Kiptum and his coach. It was Kiptum who was driving heading to Eldoret, and the vehicle lost control and rolled, killing the two on the spot. A female passenger sustained injuries and has been rushed to the hospital."
Kiptum gained widespread recognition after setting a world record time of 2:00:35 in Chicago in October, outpacing Eliud Kipchoge's previous record by 34 seconds. He also secured victories in his debut in Valencia in 2022 and a subsequent win in London the following year.
The Kenyan athlete had ambitious plans, aiming to become the first man to officially complete a marathon in under two hours in Rotterdam on April 14. With his untimely demise, Kiptum leaves a void in the athletics world, and he was anticipated to be a leading contender in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe expressed shock and deep sadness over Kiptum's loss, highlighting him as "one of the most exciting new prospects to emerge in road running in recent years." Kenyan two-time Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha also conveyed his shock, describing it as a "huge loss."
Kiptum's tragic accident adds to a series of unfortunate events affecting Kenya's young athletics talents, with notable figures like Samuel Wanjiru and Agnes Tirop facing untimely deaths in the past.