Patrick McDermott

Sad and shocking news out of Kenya. Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum has died at 24 years old after a car accident along the Eldoret-Kaptagat road, according to a report from The Standard newspaper. Multiple journalists in Kenya have also reported the news. “This was a self-involved accident where one Kelvin Kiptum, the world marathon record holder, was driving his vehicle with two passengers. Kiptum and Hakizimana died on the spot and the third person was rushed to Racecourse Hospital in Eldoret,” Elgeyo Marakwet Police Commander Peter Mulinge told The Nation. The outlet reports his coach Garvais Hakizimana also died in the accident. Last year, Kiptum broke the marathon world record, running 2:00:35 in Chicago, and was preparing to run the Rotterdam Marathon in April in an attempt to break the two-hour barrier. He was also expected to be named to Kenya’s team for the Paris Olympics.