The track and field world is currently mourning with a deafening silence right now. Kenyan marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum met a very tragic and fatal road accident. The young marathoner recently became the new world record holder of the fastest-ever marathon finish. But now, he and his coach, who was in the same car, have become departed souls.
The news has sent the family of the Kenyan into a severe shock. After all, Kelvin Kiptum was just 24 years old. He was the only child of his parents and is survived by his wife and his kids. Sadly, the family is also mourning the death of their aspirations and the hope of a bright future.
The sorrow and pain left behind by the passing of Kelvin Kiptum
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A local news network named Citizen TV reached out to Kiptum’s family members. His father Samson Cheruiyot told them that Kelvin Kiptum had promised to buy him a car and a house via his track career just a day before his death. Kiptum’s mother faced several physical complications following her son’s birth, and because of this, doctors advised the couple to not have any more children.
Thus, the couple showered all their love on Kevin Kiptum and supported him when he quit electrical engineering to focus on running. The young marathoner told his dad in his last conversation that he is confident of winning the Rotterdam Marathon in April.
Kiptum’s wife Asenath Cheruiyot is utterly crushed by her husband’s departure. She said, “At times I would tell him he’s working out too much… He loved his children so much, I don’t know what I would tell them.” The news of the marathoner’s departure has saddened several athletes as well. Many athletes, including, Noah Lyles, have come forward and shared their condolences with Kiptum’s family.
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Mourning the loss of a young man who was his family’s hope
Noah Lyles shared an Instagram story with his fans where he wished Kelvin Kiptum rests in peace and expressed his sorrow for his family. The 24-year-old was a rare talent who shattered the world record in just his third-ever elite marathon contest in Chicago. He had just recently celebrated the ratification of his world record of 2:00:35.
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Kiptum’s wife also noted that he was going to uplift the family finances and fund her business ventures. Along with just the financial gains, the couple was also going to spend some quality time in Rotterdam in April. Thus, a car accident has taken a lot from the Cheruiyot family, as well as the world of track and field.
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