Image Credit: Katie Chan
Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, aged 24, tragically lost his life in a car crash in Kaptagat, Kenya, along with his coach, Rwanda's Gervais Hakizimana, 37. The incident occurred on Sunday, February 11, with a female passenger, Sharon Chepkemoi, 32, surviving and receiving medical attention at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
First responder Kenneth Kimaiyo described finding Kiptum's lifeless body under the vehicle, and Hakizimana still alive but succumbing to injuries on a hill. Efforts to save the coach were unsuccessful. Reports indicate that Kiptum lost control of his vehicle in the Kaptagat area, veering off the road into a ditch and colliding with a tree.
The bodies have been transported to the hospital for autopsy, and Jackson Tuwei, President of Athletics Kenya, confirmed that the accident occurred at 8 pm GMT, with the extensively damaged vehicle towed for further inspection. The police commander confirmed the deaths of Kiptum and Hakizimana and mentioned that the vehicle was severely damaged. The running community mourns the loss of Kiptum, with tributes pouring in, led by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe
