Marathon world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum killed in car crash

"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," Coe wrote.

David Rudisha, Kenya's two-time Olympic champion in the 800 meters, wrote on X that he was shocked and deeply saddened by the news.

"This is a huge loss," Rudisha wrote.

Kiptum had immediate success by running the fastest time ever by a marathon debutant at the 2022 Valencia Marathon. The following year, he won the London and Chicago races, two of the most prestigious marathons in the world. While young and new to the circuit, he had already run three of the seven fastest marathon times ever recorded.

Kiptum was the latest of numerous top Kenyan runners to die in tragic road accidents.

David Lelei, an All-Africa Games silver medalist, died in a car crash in 2010. Marathon runner Francis Kiplagat was among five people who were killed in a crash in 2018. Nicholas Bett, who won gold in the 400 meters at the 2015 world championships, also died in a car crash in 2018.

Rudisha, former 10,000 meters world champion Moses Tanui and Olympic silver medalist Paul Tergat have all survived serious road accidents.

AP