Olympic Marathon Champion Eliud Kipchoge has joined the global community in mourning the untimely passing of Kelvin Kiptum, the world marathon record holder who tragically lost his life in a road accident.
Before meeting his death Kiptum’s aspirations were high, as he was preparing for the Rotterdam Marathon in April this year, aiming to break the two-hour barrier for the marathon on a record-eligible course. Meanwhile, Kipchoge was gearing up for the Tokyo Marathon.
Fans eagerly anticipated a possible showdown between the two athletes at the Paris Olympics, especially after Kiptum set the World Record in the Chicago Marathon, clocking splits of 1:00:48 and 59:47 to finish with a world record time of 2:00:35, surpassing Kipchoge’s previous record set in 2022.
A titanic battle seemed imminent, with Kipchoge eyeing his third consecutive Olympic gold and having previously achieved the marathon distance in the Ineos 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, where he ran an unofficial sub-two-hour marathon.
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Expressing his sorrow, Kipchoge offered heartfelt condolences to Kiptum’s family, acknowledging the promising athlete’s untimely departure.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of the Marathon World record holder and rising star 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,” said Kipchoge in his statement.
Meanwhile, a police report obtained by K24 Digital revealed the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident that claimed the lives of Kiptum and his coach.
According to the report, Kiptum was driving his vehicle with his coach and a female passenger when the accident occurred near Kaptagat Forest.
The vehicle lost control, veered off the road, and plunged 60 meters into a ditch before colliding with a tree.
Tragically, Kiptum and his coach succumbed to their injuries at the scene, while the female passenger sustained life-threatening injuries.
