Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge extended his condolences to the loved ones of world record holder Kelvin Kiptum following the tragic passing of the 24-year-old in a road accident in Nairobi on February 12. Kipchoge, deeply saddened by the loss of his compatriot and fellow marathoner, lamented the untimely death of the promising young athlete, noting that Kiptum had a bright future ahead in the sport.
The devastating news of Kiptum's passing, along with his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana, has sent shockwaves through the sports fraternity. Kiptum, who was driving and the car hit a tree off the road.
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of the Marathon World record holder and rising start Kelvin Kiptum. An athlete who had a whole life ahead of him to achieve incredible greatness. I offer my deepest condolences to his young family. May God comfort you during this trying time," Kipchoge said in a social media post.
The 24-year-old Kiptum had already made a big impact on the sport by breaking the marathon world record with an impressive time of 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon in October 2023. He was also beginning to develop an exciting rivalry with fellow Kenyan runner Kipchoge.
Kiptum's journey to becoming a top long-distance runner started in the high-altitude areas of Chepkorio, Kenya. His first notable achievement came in 2013, at the age of 13, when he finished 10th in his first half marathon in Eldoret. By 2018, he had won the same race, showing his talent and potential. His move to full marathons happened quickly. In December 2022, he ran the fastest debut marathon ever in Valencia, achieving an incredible time that made him only the third man in history to run a marathon in under two hours and two minutes.
Rest in peace Kelvin
As Kiptum kept challenging the limits of human endurance, his rivalry with marathon legend Kipchoge began to grow. In April 2023, Kiptum won the London Marathon with the second-fastest time ever recorded, just 16 seconds short of Kipchoge's world record at the time. This win was notable for Kiptum's impressive ability to increase his speed in the later stages of the race. His performance in London signalled his determination and set the stage for an eagerly awaited showdown with Kipchoge.
At the Chicago Marathon, Kiptum made history by smashing Kipchoge's world record by 34 seconds. He became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours and one minute in an official race. Kiptum's dominance was evident as he finished nearly three and a half minutes ahead of the second-place runner, once again showcasing his incredible speed in the latter part of the race.
Notably, Kenya had plans to include both Kiptum and Kipchoge in their lineup for the Paris Olympics. Kiptum was seen as a strong contender for the gold medal.
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