Kelvin Kiptum, who shattered the world record in the men's marathon last year, finishing tantalizingly close to the mythical and once unfathomable two-hour barrier, died on Sunday in a car accident in western Kenya. He was 24.
After some good performances in half marathons, Kiptum broke through in his first marathon in Valencia, Spain, in 2022, with a winning time of 2:01:53. At the London Marathon in 2023, he crushed the field to win in 2:01:25, the second-fastest time in history, 16 seconds short of the world record of 2:01:09 held by Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya. Kiptum didn't fall short on his next try. In October in Chicago, on a flat course known for producing fast times, Kiptum obliterated the record, recording a time of 2:00:35. It was only his third marathon.
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