The cause of Kelvin Kiptum’s tragic death has finally been revealed, as police arrest four strangers who visited his home.
Earlier this month, Kiptum, 24, died in a car accident in his native Kenya, which also killed his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana.
The Kenyan long-distance runner’s death occurred just five days after World Athletics ratified his world record of 2:00.35, which he set when winning the Chicago Marathon.
Kiptum’s father, Samson Cheruiyot, called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his son’s death and now, following a police autopsy, answers have been provided.
According BRANDJohansen Oduor – a Kenyan Government pathologist – has revealed that Kiptum suffered “serious head injuries” as well as “lung injuries”.
The cause of Kelvin Kiptum’s tragic death has finally been revealed following a police investigation.
Kiptum made history last October when he clocked 2:00.35 to win the Chicago Marathon.
‘The deceased Kelvin suffered serious head injuries. “There were serious skull fractures that occurred mainly at the base of the skull,” the doctor explained.
He also stated that “there were some fractures to the ribs on both sides.”
‘There were also injuries to the lungs. “What really caused Kelvin’s death were severe head injuries that, when I look at them, look more like they were caused by a car accident,” the doctor said.
Oduor added that samples were taken for further analysis because the circumstances of the death are being investigated.
‘The samples – he specified – will undergo a complete toxicological analysis so that we can see if there was anything that could have contributed to his death.’
Kiptum’s family responded to the autopsy, to which they said: ‘We are satisfied with the results. I witnessed the entire process.
“We are now waiting for the samples which they said will be taken for analysis,” said Philip Kiplagat, a spokesman for Kiptum’s family.
According MirrorPolice also arrested four people who visited Kiptum’s home just four days before his death.
Kiptum (left) and coach Gervais Hakizimana (right) died in a road accident in Kaptagat, Kenya
Kiptum’s father called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his son’s death, claiming that a group of unidentified men had come looking for the athlete shortly before the horrific car accident.
The crashed car driven by marathon world record holder Kiptum is found outside the police station in Kaptagat, Kenya, on February 12, 2024.
Reports claim that Kenyan police made the arrests days after Kiptum’s father, Samson Cheruiyot, highlighted the visit of four strangers.
Cheruiyot had asked police to fully investigate what happened to her son, ahead of the autopsy results.
Kiptum made history in October when he clocked 2:00.35 to win the Chicago Marathon, breaking fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge’s world record by 34 seconds. His historic time was not officially ratified by World Athletics until last Tuesday.
His coach, Rwandan Gervais Hakizimana, also died in the traffic accident near Kaptagat, an area in the southwest of the country known as a training base for long-distance runners.
Details of the accident have revealed that a passenger, Sharon Chepkemoi, 32, survived the incident after being rushed to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
Earlier this month, mourners gathered to pay their respects to Kiptum following his death.
According to Kenneth Kimaiyo, one of the first responders at the crash site, via NationKiptum’s body was found under the vehicle and the runner was already dead.
He said he saw a man on a motorcycle helping Chepkemoi at the scene, who was shouting for help and was taken to Sanvanis dispensary before being taken to MTRH.
The newspaper adds that Kiptum lost control of his vehicle in the Kaptagat area along the Eldama-Eldoret ravine while returning from Eldoret in Uasin Gishu county.
Jackson Tuwei, president of Athletics Kenya, said the vehicle veered off the road into a ditch before hitting a large tree 60 meters from the main road.