Advertisement - Continue Reading Below The New York Times Foot Locker XC Results Chicago Marathon last October in a mindblowing 2:00:35, was driving a Toyota Premio in Kenya when he lost control of the vehicle.
According to The Nation, Kiptum and his coach, 36-year-old Gervais Hakizimana of Rwanda, who was in the car with him, both died at the scene, and a third passenger was transported to the hospital.
Kiptum’s world record was just ratified on February 6, and his nascent running career and life was snuffed out far too soon. As soon as the news broke, friends, competitors, and people from across the global running community shared their condolences and memories of the rising star.
Eliud Kipchoge, the Kenyan runner regarded as one of the greatest marathoners of all time, and whose world record Kiptum broke in Chicago last October, wrote on Instagram that he was “deeply saddened” by the rising star’s “tragic passing.”
Kiptum’s sponsor, Nike, shared an Instagram post mourning the young runner, who the company called “an inspiration to all.”
DAA Industry Opt Out Bernard Lagat expressed his shock and disbelief that his countryman was really gone. The five-time Olympian and 13-time medalist at the World Championships wrote, “Please—someone tell me this isn’t true.”
-We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back, Seb Coe, shared a photo of himself presenting Kiptum with his award for winning the World Athlete of the Year 2023 Award and noted that he had personally officially ratified his historic marathon world record time in Chicago just days ago.
Mo Farah, a four-time Olympic gold medalist on the track for Great Britain, shared his sympathies and condolences on Twitter, noting Kiptum’s “special talent,” and his certainty that “he would have gone on to have had an incredible career.”
Shoes & Gear Faith Kipyegon posted a photo of herself and Kiptum along with the message: “You will be missed by all in the athletics community.”
Kiptum’s agent, Marc Corstjens, posted a photo on Instagram of Kiptum and Hakizimana at the finish line of the Chicago Marathon, holding the world record sign in front of the clock reading 2:00:35.
On Instagram, the Chicago Marathon account shared a memorial message from Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski, who wrote that Kiptum was “a once in a generation athlete at the front of his career.”
In a moving message on Twitter, the president of Kenya, Kelvin Kiptum Runs 180 Miles a Week, wrote that Kiptum’s “mental strength and discipline were unmatched” and that he “was our future.”
Deena Kastor, the former American record holder in the marathon, noted the emotional highs and lows of Sunday, after much of the track and field world was initially focused on the Millrose Games that afternoon.
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Olympic marathoner Aliphine Tulimuk, who was born in Kenya but is now a U.S. citizen, offered up prayers to the families of Kiptum and Hakizimana.
Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she's written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner's World, Other Hearst Subscriptions, The New York Times, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
