Marathon world record-holder Kiptum dies | NEWS | World Athletics
World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that marathon world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum died in a road traffic accident on Sunday (11) at the age of 24.
Kiptum’s coach Gervais Hakizimana, who was in the car with the Kenyan distance runner, also died in the accident along Eldoret-Kaptagat Road.
Kiptum was one of the most exciting new prospects to emerge in road running in recent years. He grabbed headlines when he made his marathon debut in December 2022, clocking 2:01:53 to win in Valencia. Less than a year later, in just his third marathon, he smashed the world record with 2:00:35 to win in Chicago.
That performance, along with his victory earlier in the year at the London Marathon in a course record of 2:01:25, led him to be named 2023 World Athlete of the Year for men’s out-of-stadia events.
Born and raised in Chepsamo village in Chepkorio, 30km from Eldoret in the Rift Valley, Kiptum worked on his family’s cattle farm in his youth. He started running at about the age of 13 and would follow local marathon runners on the local trails and roads.
