Kelvin Kiptum breaks marathon world record at Chicago Marathon, nears 2-hour barrier
NBCOct 14, 2023
Kelvin Kiptum, the marathon world record-holder from Kenya, died in a car crash aged 24 on Sunday.
Set to be a top contender for the gold medal at the Paris Olympics this summer, the up-and-coming star died alongside his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana.
This is a shocking tragedy. Not only was Kiptum a once-in-a-generation athlete, but he was also a magnificent friend, family member, and human being. He will be sorely missed by all those who knew him.
While this is no doubt a tragedy of a soon-to-be superstar, Kenya has unfortunately grown accustomed to these types of horrific incidents. A number of its top athletes have died in similar circumstances in recent years.