The marathon world record holder, Kelvi Kiptum24 years old, and his coach Gervais Hakizimana died in a car accident in western Kenya which also left a third passenger injured, the police reported this Sunday.
Police indicated that the vehicle was carrying three people and two died at the scene of the accident while the third was taken to hospital.
(Spectacular Olympic goal goes around the world: a gem)(This is how the world marathon record car remained after an accident in which he died)
What is known
“The two (deceased) are Kiptum and his coach,” he said. Peter Mulinge, county police commander Elegeyo Marakwetin western Kenya.
“It was Kiptum who was driving towards Eldoret when he lost control (…) killing two occupants on the spot. A female passenger was injured and was rushed to hospital,” Mulinge added.
Kiptum set the world best (2 hours and 35 seconds) at the Chicago Marathon last October and was in the preparation phase for the Paris Olympic Games.
That Kiptum mark was the third time it was set as a men's world record in Chicago, and the first since 1999, when the Moroccan did it Khalid Khannouchi.
Kiptum also won his two previous marathons, in his debut in Valencia in 2022 and the following year in London. The Kenyan athlete had announced his intention to become the first man to run an official marathon in less than two hours, at the Rotterdam competition on April 14.
Dad's message
His father, Samson Cheruiyot, He called for an investigation after the athlete's death, as he warned that strange events occurred days before the accident.
There were some people who arrived a few days ago looking for Kiptum, but they refused to identify themselves. “I asked them to show me some identification, but they chose to leave,” he said.
And he added: “Kiptum was my only son. He has left me, his mother and his children. (…) I am deeply saddened.”
(Rigoberto Urán shows what he is made of: his message of gratitude to the team)
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