East African Gazette
Kenya
Kenya and the sports community are grieving the unexpected loss of Kevin Kiptum, the record holder for Kenya’s World marathon.
The 24-year-old tragically lost his life in a horrific road accident on Sunday, February 11, 2024. Alongside him, his coach Gervais Hakizimana also met the same fate.
![](https://eastafricangazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Kelvin-Kiptum.jpg)
courtesy photo
Kiptum, who emerged victorious in the London Marathon last year (2023), went on to break the world record set by his compatriot and renowned runner Eliud Kipchoge at the Chicago Marathon, finishing with a remarkable time of 2:00:3.
Kiptum’s journey in the marathon world began in 2022, four years after his first major competition. He will always be remembered for his humble beginnings, as he had to borrow shoes to participate.
The unfortunate incident took place in the Kaptagat area along Elgeyo Marakwet road, where the vehicle lost control and rolled multiple times, claiming the lives of both Kiptum and Hakizimana instantly.
Reports suggest that Kiptum was behind the wheel at the time of the accident, according to the Elgeyo Marakwet police.
Joan Chelimo, the wife of Hakizimana, also confirmed their tragic demise through Olympics.com.
At the time of his untimely passing, Kiptum was preparing to participate in this year’s Rotterdam Marathon in April. It was anticipated to be his official attempt to break the two-hour barrier in a race, following Kipchoge’s unofficial achievement of 1:59:40.2 in Vienna back in 2019.
Kevin Kiptum leaves behind a wife and two children, as his legacy in the marathon world lives on.
Profile
According to available information, Kiptum was a highly accomplished long-distance runner from Kenya. He held the world record for the marathon at the time of his unfortunate passing. Notably, he was the first and only person in history to complete a marathon in under two hours and one minute in a race that met the criteria for record eligibility.
In fact, he ran three out of the seven fastest marathons ever recorded.
Between December 2022 and October 2023, Kiptum emerged victorious in three prestigious marathons, including two of the top-tier World Marathon Majors (WMM).
His remarkable achievements during this period resulted in three of the six fastest times ever recorded in marathon history, with each race setting a course record under 2 hours and 2 minutes.
This extraordinary feat made him the sole individual to break this barrier on three separate occasions.
Kiptum’s marathon debut at the 2022 Valencia Marathon was nothing short of exceptional, as he completed it in the fastest time ever recorded up to that point.
This remarkable performance placed him among an elite group of only three men in history who had managed to complete a marathon in under two hours and two minutes.
Just four months later, at the 2023 London Marathon (WMM), Kiptum achieved the second-fastest marathon time ever recorded, finishing in 2 hours, 1 minute, and 25 seconds, a mere 16 seconds away from breaking the world record.
In his subsequent race, the 2023 Chicago Marathon (WMM) held six months later in October, the 23-year-old prodigy shattered the world record by an impressive 34 seconds, completing the marathon in an astonishing two hours and 35 seconds. As a result of his exceptional performances, Kiptum held the top rank in the men’s marathon rankings worldwide.
![](https://eastafricangazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Kiptum-02.jpg)
Courtesy photo
Early life
Kiptum, born on December 2, 1999, was raised in Chepsamo village, Chepkorio, a picturesque area in the high-altitude (~2600 m) Elgeyo-Marakwet County of Kenya’s Rift Valley.
This village is situated approximately 30 km east of Eldoret, near the southeastern border of the Kaptagat forest.
It is also located close to the meridional Elgeyo (Keiyo) escarpment, which quickly transitions into the lower Kerio Valley (800–1,200 m) towards the east.
This region, along with the neighboring counties, is renowned as the birthplace of numerous accomplished Kenyan runners and is considered a mecca for international runners as well.
During his childhood, Kiptum would herd his family’s cattle and would often trail behind other barefoot runners along the forest paths.
At the age of 13, in approximately 2013, Kiptum began his training.
In 2013, Kiptum participated in his inaugural half marathon, the Family Bank Eldoret Half Marathon, in his home country of Kenya. At the age of 13, he finished in 10th place. The following year, he achieved a 12th place finish in the same event.
In 2018, as a teenager, Kiptum celebrated his first victory by winning a race with a remarkable time of 62:01. It is worth noting that he was self-coached during this period.
![](https://eastafricangazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Kiptum-01.jpg)
Courtesy Photo
The young athlete made his debut on the international stage in March 2019 at the Lisbon Half Marathon in Portugal. He secured a fifth-place finish and set a new personal best of 59:54.
Throughout the year, Kiptum participated in six other races across North and West Europe, showcasing his talent and determination. He notably emerged victorious in the challenging Kass Half Marathon, held in his homeland in November.
Reports emerged in 2020 that Kiptum had begun working with Gervais Hakizimana, the record holder for the Rwandan 3000 metres steeplechase, as his coach. However, it is believed that Kiptum had sporadically trained alongside Hakizimana and other young athletes since 2013.
In December 2020, at the age of 21, Kiptum achieved a significant personal best in the Valencia Half Marathon in Spain, completing the race in an impressive time of 58:42. He secured a commendable sixth-place finish.
In 2021, Kiptum continued to excel in half marathons. He triumphed in Lens, France, with a time of 59:35, claiming first place. Later, he participated in the Valencia Half Marathon once again, finishing in eighth place with a time of 59:02.