Kenyan marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach have died in a car crash in the Rift Valley, ending the promising career of the only man to run the toughest race in under two hours and one minute.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the devastating loss of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach Gervais Hakiziman,” said IAF President Sebastian Coe.
He sent his condolences to the family, friends, fellow athletes and the Kenyan people on behalf of the entire world athletics.
According to the police report, Kiptum was driving his Rwandan coach and a woman in a car near the village where he was born at the time of the accident.
In October, Kiptum (24) set a world record at the marathon in Chicago with a time of two hours and 35 seconds, surpassing the previous world record of two hours, one minute and nine seconds, which was run by his compatriot in Berlin in 2022 Eliud Kipchoge.
Kiptum, who has achieved three of the top seven marathon times in history, was hoping to become the first man to run a sub-hour marathon at the Rotterdam race in April, as well as making his Olympic debut in Paris in July.
