Athletics: death of Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, marathon world record holder

2024-02-11T23:53:19.727Z

Highlights: Athletics: death of Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, marathon world record holder. He was 24 years old. Kenyan police confirmed his disappearance overnight from Sunday to Monday. His Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana, also died. The accident occurred in the east of the country, near the town of Kaptagat. He made athletics history on October 8, 2023. That day, in Chicago, he seized the world record held by his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge on the marathon. He ran the distance in 2 hours and 35 seconds.

Kelvin Kiptum, who set the marathon world record in October 2023, died on Sunday February 11 in a road accident which also cost the life of his coach, Gervais Hakizimana.…

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Athletics: death of Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, marathon world record holder

Kelvin Kiptum, who set the marathon world record in October 2023, died on Sunday February 11 in a road accident which also cost the life of his coach, Gervais Hakizimana. He was 24 years old.

Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum celebrated his victory at the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon in Chicago, Illinois, in a record time of two hours and 35 seconds, on October 8, 2023. AFP - KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI

By: Nicolas Bamba Follow

The world of athletics is in mourning. Terrible news has come from Kenya, a great land of long-distance runners. Kelvin Kiptum died in a road accident which occurred on Sunday February 11 in the evening. Kenyan police confirmed his disappearance overnight from Sunday to Monday. His Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana, also died. The accident occurred in the east of the country, near the town of Kaptagat.

Kelvin Kiptum, who celebrated his 24th birthday in December, made athletics history on October 8, 2023. That day, in Chicago,

he seized the world record

held by his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge on the marathon. He ran the distance in 2 hours and 35 seconds, becoming the first man to go under 2 hours and 1 minute.

World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that marathon world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum died in a road traffic accident on Sunday at the age of 24.

Obit: 🔗 https://t.co/0CF1NbAzgw pic.twitter.com/TgWepi0cok

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) February 11, 2024

Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics (the international athletics federation), expressed his emotion: “

We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the terrible loss of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana. On behalf of World Athletics, we send our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the Kenyan nation. (...) He was an incredible athlete who leaves an incredible legacy, he will be greatly missed.

Athletics: death of Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, marathon world record holder

Athletics: death of Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, marathon world record holder

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