Tragedy in the world of Kenyan athletics: marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum died in a car accident this Sunday. This news shocked the sporting community and in particular Kenyan athletes, who considered Kiptum one of the most promising prospects in the sport.
Aged only 24, Kiptum set the world record last year during the Chicago Marathon, a feat that had just been officially ratified by the International Athletics Federation (World Athletics) last week.
His tragic death ends a promising career and deprives him of a possible gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games next August, where he was considered one of the favorites in the marathon event.
The accident occurred around 11 p.m., when the car in which Kiptum was with his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana, left the road. A female passenger, whose identity has not been released, was rushed to hospital.
News of his death was confirmed by several Kenyan athletes, including Geoffrey Kamworor, who expressed dismay and shock at the tragedy.
Milcah Chemos, another Kenyan athlete present at the morgue where the bodies were transported, testified to her immense sadness and her inability to find the words to express her pain. She described Kiptum as an exceptional and talented athlete, and noted the immense void left by his passing.
The accident occurred on a road between the towns of Eldoret and Kaptagat in western Kenya, an area renowned as a training hotspot for world-famous long-distance runners.
Kiptum’s family, present at the hospital to identify the body, as well as other athletes, are also in shock and in full mourning.
This tragedy is once again a reminder of the dangers to which high-level athletes are exposed, even outside the race track. It is also a reminder of the exceptional talents emerging from Kenyan athletics and their impact on the world stage.
The sports community and fans will continue to remember Kelvin Kiptum as a talented and ambitious athlete, whose potential was cruelly cut short by this tragic accident. His exploits on the track will remain engraved in the history of athletics, and his memory will continue to inspire future generations.