Sir Mo Farah has described he late marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum as a ‘special talent, following his tragic death on Sunday.
Kiptum, 24, died in a car accident in his native Kenya on Sunday, which also killed his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana.
Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah joined the athletics world in paying tribute to Kiptum.
‘I’m so sad to hear the passing of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana. Kelvin was an amazingly talented athlete and had already achieved so much,’ Farah wrote on social media.
‘He truly had a special talent and I have no doubt he would have gone on to have had an incredible career.
Sir Mo Farah paid tribute to Kenyan star Kelvin Kiptum, pictured, after his death aged 24
Four-time Olympic champion Farah said the world record holder was a ‘special talent’
I’m so sad to hear the passing of Kelvin Kiptum and his coach, Gervais Hakizimana. Kelvin was an amazingly talented athlete and had already achieved so much. He truly had a special talent and I have no doubt he would have gone on to have had an incredible career. I send all my… pic.twitter.com/bNXJA1FgBL
— Sir Mo Farah (@Mo_Farah) February 12, 2024
‘I send all my sympathies 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, smashing his fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge’s world record by 34 seconds. His landmark time was only officially ratified by World Athletics last Tuesday.
The Kenyan runner also won the London Marathon last April in a course record 2:01.25, with Farah finishing ninth on his last appearence at the race.
Kiptum’s time was then the second fastest marathon time ever. It followed an eye-catching victory on his marathon debut in Valencia in December 2022.
Farah is among the athletics greats to have paid tribute to Kiptum.
World Athletics president Seb Coe led the tributes to Kiptum on Sunday night, saying he was ‘an incredible athlete leaving an incredible legacy’.
He wrote on 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 World Athletics we send our deepest condolences to their families, friends, teammates and the Kenyan nation.
Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum has died at the age of 24
Kiptum made history last October when he clocked 2:00.35 to win the Chicago Marathon
Kiptum (L) and his coach Gervais Hakizimana (R) died in a road accident in Kenya’s Kaptagat area at 11pm local time
World Athletics president Seb Coe led the tributes to the 24-year-old on social media
Former world record holder Kipchoge joined the tributes to Kiptum following his tragic death
‘It was only 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 leaving an incredible legacy, we will miss him dearly.’
Former world record holder Kipchoge, who would likely have battled Kiptum for Olympic gold at Paris 2024, joined the tributes.
‘I am deeply saddened by the tragic passing of the marathon world record holder and rising star Kelvin Kiptum,’ Kipchoge wrote on 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 trying time.’
Kiptum was killed in the 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 Nation, Kiptum’s body was found under the vehicle with the runner already dead, and Hakizimana still alive on a hill.
New images have revealed the extent of the damage to Kitptum’s Toyota Premio
The roof of the vehicle was ripped off after Kiptum’s car collided with a tree on Sunday
It is said that Kiptum lost control of his vehicle at Kaptagat area along the Eldama Ravine-Eldoret on his way back from Eldoret in Uasin Gishu County
The newspaper adds that Kiptum, who was a father of two and the son of a runner and volleyball player, lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a big tree at the Kaptagat area along the Eldama Ravine-Eldoret.
Kiptum had been on his way back 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 big tree 60 metres from the main road.
Tuwei said that the bodies were taken to the hospital for an autopsy which will begin after the families had been briefed and ‘all agreements are done’.
He added that the accident happened at 8pm GMT on Sunday, 11pm local time, and that the vehicle was ‘extensively damaged’ and towed to a local police station for ‘inspection and police further action’.
Mourners have gathered to pay tribute Kiptum at the scene of the accident.
Mourners gathered to pay their respects to Kiptum following his death on Sunday
Double Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon was pictured in tears at the Racecourse Mortuary
One woman was seen being carried away after viewing Kiptum’s body at the mortuary
Members of the public visited the scene of the accident on Monday to pay their tributes to the late star.
Fellow Kenyan long-distance stars were also pictured after viewing Kiptum’s body at the Racecourse Mortuary in the Rift Valley town of Eldoret.
Faith Kipyegon, a double Olympic champion in the women’s 1,500m was pictured in tears after viewing Kiptum’s body.
One woman was pictured being carried away from the mortuary.
New images have also been published which show the extent of the damage to athlete’s Toyota Premio.
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