Newcomer Kelvin Kiptum finished his first Bank of America Chicago Marathon in historic fashion, not only winning the 2023 race and beating out defending champion Benson Kipruto, but possibly setting a world record in the process. NBC 5’s Christian Farr reports.
Note: The video in the player above is from a previous report when Kelvin Kiptum won the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Kenyan runner Kelvin Kiptum, the winner of the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon and London Marathon, was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Kenya, according to local media.
Kiptum, 24, and his coach, Garvais Hakizimana, died in a crash at around 11 p.m. Sunday night outside the city of Eldoret, the Kenyan newspaper the Daily Nation reported, citing police. The marathon runner was behind the wheel of his Toyota Premio, accompanied by his coach and a woman identified as Sharon Kosgey, when the collision occurred.
She was seriously injured and rushed to a local hospital for medical treatment.
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At 23 years old, Kiptum broke the marathon world record during October's Bank of America Chicago Marathon as he finished with a stellar time of 2 hours and 35 seconds.
Kiptum won the 2023 London Marathon in what was only his second-ever marathon race and nearly broke a world record at that time. Beforehand, Kiptum predicted he would break a course record -- but didn't expect to become a world record holder.
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"A world record was not in my mind today... but I knew one day, one time I would be a world record holder," Kiptum said after finishing the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in October.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors, which consists of the Chicago and London marathons as well as four other races, posted a statement on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
"The entire Abbott World Marathon Majors family is devastated by the news that our men’s series champion and world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach Gervais Hakizimana have passed away," the statement read. "All of our thoughts are with their family and friends at this time."
Raila Odinga, Kenya's former prime minister, called Kiptum's passing "devastating."
"Devastating news as we mourn the loss of a remarkable individual, Kelvin Kiptum, World Record holder and Kenyan athletics icon," he said in a post on X. Together with his coach, they tragically passed on in an accident tonight. My deepest condolences to his loved ones, friends, and the entire athletics fraternity. Our nation grieves the profound loss of a true hero."
