Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum is dead.

The 24-year-old died alongside his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, in a car accident on Sunday night (11 February) on the Eldoret-Kaptagat road, according to Elgeyo Marakwet County Police Commander Peter Mulinge.

"This was a self-involved accident where one Kelvin Kiptum, the world marathon record holder, was driving his vehicle with two passangers," the County Commander told the Nation Newspaper, adding that Kiptum lost control of the car, and veered off the road.

"Kiptum and Hakizimana died on the spot and the third person was rushed to Racecourse Hospital in Eldoret."

Hakizimana's wife, Joan Chelimo, confirmed the death of her husband to Olympics.com.

The Kenyan broke the men’s marathon record in Chicago on 8 October 2023, with a time of two hours and 35 seconds. He was scheduled to run at the Rotterdam Marathon on 14 April.

Kiptum slashed 34 seconds off two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge’s previous world record from Berlin in 2022 to become the first man to run the marathon under two hours and one minute.

World Athletics ratified his world record just last week.

Kiptum is survived by his wife Asenath Rotich and their two children.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the devastating loss of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana,” said World Athletics president Sebastian Coe in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “On behalf of all World Athletics we send our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the Kenyan nation.”

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Kiptum is the second Kenyan marathoner to die at the peak of his career

After winning in Valencia in December 2022 and topping the 2023 London Marathon, Kiptum produced his record-breaking run in only his third marathon. Athletics Kenya named him to its provisional team of 10 men, for the Paris Olympics that also included Kipchoge.

The Olympic marathon was supposed to the first race in which the two fastest marathoners in history would have lined up together.

“It will be exciting to meet Kipchoge, who has inspired many. I am ready to race against him,” said Kiptum to Olympics.com just before his record run

“I am dreaming of the Paris Olympics. If I get a chance to be selected by the selectors, I’ll be thankful and I’ll go there and try to win a medal.” re his record run.

Kiptum became the first man to record three sub 2:02, times in 12 months.

“It was my dream one day to have the world marathon world. I had planned for it in Chicago next year or even 2025. Fortunately, it just came in Chicago and it’s a dream come true," he said.

Kiptum is the second-high profile Kenyan marathoner to die in the prime of his career.

Samuel Wanjiru, who raced to the Olympic marathon record at the Beijing 2008 Games, died after falling from a balcony at his home in Nyahururu.

He was the first Kenyan to win the Olympic marathon. At only 23, he had already won four major marathons – the Olympic race, Chicago in 2009 and in 2010 and London in 2009. (Olympics.com)

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