Kelvin Kiptum and his Gervais Hakizimana were killed in a car crash last Sunday as millions were watching the Super Bowl around the world. Members of the global athletics and the marathon running community have paid tribute and mourned the loss of an exceptional athlete in the infancy of his prime. Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, described the loss of Kiptum as “an extraordinary athlete with an extraordinary legacy, whose presence will be profoundly missed … On behalf of all World Athletics, we send our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the Kenyan nation.”
The Kenyan, who was only 24 years old at the time of his death, was one of the marathon’s rising stars, after bursting onto the scene in 2022 at the Valencia Marathon with a time of 2:01:53. This made him only the third man ever to break the sub 2:02:00 mark and was done using a negative split strategy. What was more incredible however was that with this performance, Kiptum had set the fourth fastest time of all time in his first marathon race ever.
Kiptum’s next race marked his World Marathon Major debut at the London Marathon in April of last year. There he broke his personal best with a time of 2:01:25 in rainy conditions beating the second place runner by almost three minutes, another decisive victory. This marked the second fastest time in history in only his second marathon ever, all at only 23 years of age.
Kiptum’s third and final marathon before his untimely death was the Chicago Marathon in October of 2023. In this race while still only 23 years old, Kiptum smashed the World record time set by Marathon Legend Eliud Kipchoge by 34 seconds with a time of 2:00:35. It was the first time in history that an official non-assisted marathon had been run under 2:01:00.
In his short time as a marathoner, Kiptum set three of the top seven ever times in marathon history, including the record. What was incredible about Kiptum was how he was able to burst onto the scene in a sport where older athletes are generally dominant. The former world record holder, Eliud Kipchoge, was 37 when he set the time of 2:01:09 at the Berlin Marathon. This is another reason why Kiptum’s death is incredibly tragic, there was no manner of things he could not have accomplished in the sport had he lived.
Kiptum’s compatriots have mourned his loss with many offering their condolences to his family and friends. Another who mourned his loss was former World Record holder, Kipchoge who wrote on X, “I am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of 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.”
It was clear to many why Kiptum was so beloved; his humility and philanthropy were among what garnered him support. He had used some of the money he earned to send 20 local girls to secondary schools in his native Kenya. He had also planned to build a house for his family shortly before his death, a plan which was undertaken by the Kenyan government as President William Ruto promised to finish the home for Kiptum’s family.
Kiptum was sure to have had a career of dominance and records had he lived. He could have very well been the first person ever to break the sub two hour marathon mark unassisted. Regardless of what his tragic death leaves to the imagination it is important to remember and tribute an incredible athlete and human being who was taken from the world way too soon.
