Their vehicle was the only one involved in the crash late Sunday and was driving when it veered off a road and into a ditch before hitting a tree, police said.
Kenya’s was 24 and one of the most exciting prospects to emerge in road running in years, having broken the world record in only his third appearance in an elite marathon. His record, set at last year’s Chicago Marathon, was ratified by international track federation World Athletics just last week.
His death reverberated through Kenya, where runners are the biggest sports stars. Kenyans have also gotten used to tragic tales involving their top athletes after a number have died in road crashes, other accidents and domestic violence cases.
“He was only 24,” Kenyan President William said in a statement offering his condolences. ” was our future.”
A third person, a woman, was also in the car and was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, police said. and died at the scene.
Athletes and family members, including father, gathered at the hospital mortuary where the bodies of and his coach were taken. One of the athletes, former women’s steeplechase world champion , struggled to speak while breaking down in tears.
, a friend of , said he arrived at the crash scene soon after it happened and had been thrown out of the car. Photos showed the silver car with a badly mangled roof and the windshield crushed flat.
was the first man to run the marathon in under 2 hours, 1 minute in an official race when he set the world record of 2:00.35 in Chicago in October, beating the mark of fellow Kenyan and marathon great , who is the reigning two-time Olympic champion.
and were expected to provide an enticing all-Kenyan battle for marathon gold in Paris and was due to start his season at the Rotterdam Marathon in April, which would have been his first event since breaking the world record.
“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.”
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. He set a new course record at the London Marathon last April and then became the fastest marathoner in the world months later.
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