Kelvin Kiptum dies: Sir Mo Farah says Kenyan was a 'special talent'

Sir Mo Farah believes that Kelvin Kiptum, the holder of the world record in the marathon, was an exceptional individual with unique abilities, and had he continued his journey, he would have had an extraordinary career.

On Sunday, Kiptum, who was 24 years old, passed away in a car collision in his birthplace of Kenya. His coach, Gervais Hakizimana, also passed away in the accident.

Last year, he beat Eliud Kipchoge's previous world record and was scheduled to participate in the upcoming Paris Olympics this summer.

According to Briton Farah, Kelvin possessed remarkable athletic abilities and had already accomplished a great deal.

Last year in the London Marathon, Farah, the four-time Olympic champion in 5,000 and 10,000 meters, came in ninth place while Kiptum, who completed the race in two hours, one minute, and 25 seconds, won the race and set a new course record.

According to Farah, he believed that the person had an exceptional skill and was confident that they would have achieved amazing success in their career.

I offer my condolences and sympathies to both his and Gervais' friends and family during this unfortunate period.

Kiptum smashed the previous record for the quickest debut marathon in Valencia in 2022. Later, in October last year, he surpassed Kipchoge's all-time speed record in Chicago by completing the 26.2 miles (42km) in only two hours plus 35 seconds.

His team recently declared that he would endeavor to be the pioneer in completing the distance in less than two hours in an unrestricted race.

According to Hugh Brasher, the director of the London Marathon event, Kiptum was a skillful marathon runner with exceptional talent.

Brasher said: "He was a very rare athlete who was going to change our sport's limits."

He had a spark that flickered fiercely but unfortunately, it was snuffed out in a tragic occurrence.

"We are deeply saddened as a community by the sudden loss of a valuable life, a skillful individual with strong dedication who had yet to receive full recognition, and a person we had just begun to get to know."

Emile Cairess, a runner from Britain, came in sixth place in London during a previous race which was won by Kiptum. Cairess suggested that Kiptum had the potential to become a leader in athletics, much like Usain Bolt.

Cairess informed the BBC that it was a significant setback as the person at that level has the potential to draw the interest of individuals beyond the sporting domain.

A lot of folks believed that they would never witness someone completing a marathon under two hours in their existence. But as soon as he emerged onto the scene, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would achieve this feat considering his remarkable performances up to this point.

There was a high probability that he would have accomplished it. It's incredibly unfortunate and disappointing that we won't have the opportunity to witness his success again or to tackle that obstacle.

Kipchoge, who is 39 years old, managed to finish a marathon in Vienna within one hour, 59 minutes, and 40 seconds. However, this achievement cannot be considered an official record, as it was a sponsored event specifically set up with pacemakers.

Over the previous two years, Kiptum's deeds had caused him to become a competitor of his esteemed compatriot from Kenya.

Kipchoge expressed his grief for the unfortunate demise of someone by mentioning that he felt extremely sad.

"He was a sportsman who had many years ahead of him to attain remarkable success," he stated.

"My heart goes out to his young family during this difficult time."

The president of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, stated that Kiptum was an amazing athlete who would be remembered for his outstanding accomplishments.

Coe expressed his condolences on behalf of the entire World Athletics community to the families, friends, team members, and the nation of Kenya.

According to reports from the AFP news agency, Kiptum was involved in a car accident around 11:00 PM local time (8:00 PM GMT) on Sunday, as stated by police.

The police provided more information about the accident, stating that Kiptum was the person operating the vehicle. They also mentioned that the automobile "lost its grip and tumbled, leading to the immediate death of the two individuals."

In accordance with a spokesperson cited by AFP, it was said that a woman who was riding as a passenger suffered injuries and was "hurried to the hospital."