The Athletics and sports world was shocked to hear that the Kenyan athlete Kelvin Kiptum and coach Gervais Hakizimana died in a fatal a car accident.
According to media reports, 24 year old Kelvin and his 37 aged coach Rwanda‘s Hakizimana, died in a car accident in the Kaptagat area at 11pm local time on Sunday, 11 February. He was driving a Toyota Premio when supposedly the car went out of his control and Kekvin and Hakizimana died instantly while a another passenger, Sharon Chepkemoi, aged 32, was shifted to the hospital.
Kelvin was a father of two children.
Kelvin during October 2023 had set a world record of 2:00:35 in Chicago. Earlier during December 2022, he had also run a world record for a debut of 2:01:53 in Valencia and a course record of 2:01:25 in April 2023 during London Marathon.
13 years ago another iconic Kenyan marathon runner, Sammy Wanjiru fell from the roof at the age of 24 and died. He had won the titles of 2008 Olympic and marathon in Chicago and London.
Ababu Namwamba, the Kenyan minister for sports stated on social media: “Devastatingly sickening!! Kenya has lost a special gem. Lost for words.”
