Sir Mo Farah has described the late marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum as a “special talent, following his tragic death on Sunday”.
Kiptum, 24, died Sunday in a car accident in his native Kenya, which also killed his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana.
Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah joined the world of athletics to pay tribute to Kiptum.
“I am very saddened to hear of the passing of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana. Kelvin was an incredibly talented athlete and had already achieved so much,” Farah wrote on social media.
“He truly was a special talent and I have no doubt he would have had an incredible career.”
Sir Mo Farah paid tribute to Kenyan star Kelvin Kiptum, pictured, following his death aged 24.
Farah, a four-time Olympic champion, said the world record holder was a “special talent”
“I send all my condolences and condolences to his and Gervais’ family and friends at this tragic time.”
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.
The Kenyan runner also won the London Marathon last April in a record 2:01.25, with Farah finishing ninth in his last appearance in the race.
Kiptum’s time was tSo the second fastest time in history in a marathon. He arrived after a striking victory in his debut in the Valencia marathon in December 2022.
Farah is among the athletics greats who have paid tribute to Kiptum.
World Athletics president Seb Coe led tributes to Kiptum on Sunday night, saying he was “an incredible athlete who leaves an incredible legacy.”
He wrote in X: “We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the devastating loss of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana.
‘On behalf of all of World Athletics we send our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the nation of Kenya.
Kelvin Kiptum, world marathon record holder, dies at 24
Kiptum made history last October when he clocked 2:00.35 to win the Chicago Marathon.
Kiptum (left) and his coach Gervais Hakizimana (right) died in a traffic accident in the Kaptagat area of Kenya at 11:00 p.m. local time.
World Athletics president Seb Coe led tributes to the 24-year-old on social media.
Former world record holder Kipchoge joined the tributes to Kiptum following his tragic death.
‘It wasn’t until earlier this week in Chicago, the place where Kelvin set his extraordinary marathon world record, that I was able to officially ratify his historic time.
“An incredible athlete who leaves an incredible legacy, he will be greatly missed.”
Former world record holder Kipchoge, who would have likely fought Kiptum for Olympic gold in Paris 2024, joined the tributes.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of world marathon record holder and rising star Kelvin Kiptum,” Kipchoge wrote in X.
‘An athlete who had a whole life ahead of him to achieve incredible greatness.
‘I offer my deepest condolences to his young family. May God comfort you during his difficult time.’
Kiptum died in a road accident near Kaptagat on Sunday, after reportedly losing control of his car and crashing into a tree.
According to Kenneth Kimaiyo, one of the first responders at the crash site, via NationKiptum’s body was found under the vehicle with the runner already dead and Hakizimana still alive on a hill.
New images reveal the extent of the damage suffered by Kitptum’s Toyota Premio
The vehicle’s roof was torn off after Kiptum’s car crashed into a tree on Sunday.
Kiptum is said to have lost control of his vehicle in the Kaptagat area along the Eldama-Eldoret ravine while returning from Eldoret in Uasin Gishu county.
The newspaper adds that Kiptum, a father of two and son of a runner and volleyball player, lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a large tree in the Kaptagat area, along the Eldama-Eldoret ravine.
Kiptum was 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.
Tuwei said the bodies were taken to hospital for an autopsy that will begin after the families have been informed and “all arrangements have been made.”
It added that the accident occurred at 20:00 GMT on Sunday, 23:00 local time, and that the vehicle suffered “serious damage” and was towed to a local police station for “inspection and further police measures.”
Mourners have gathered to pay tribute to Kiptum at the crash site.
Mourners gathered to pay their respects to Kiptum following his death on Sunday.
Double Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon was photographed crying in the racecourse morgue
A woman was seen being carried away after seeing Kiptum’s body at the morgue.
The public visited the accident site on Monday to pay tribute to the late star.
Other Kenyan long-distance stars were also photographed after seeing Kiptum’s body at the racecourse mortuary in the Rift Valley town of Eldoret.
Faith Kipyegon, double Olympic champion in the women’s 1,500m, was photographed crying after seeing Kiptum’s body.
A woman was photographed being carried out of the morgue.
New images have also been released showing the extent of the damage suffered by the sportsman’s Toyota Premio.