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Pulse Sports explains how the careers of marathon sensations Kelvin Kiptum and Samuel Wanjiru followed the same path before they met their death in tragic fashion.
The world is still coming to terms with the untimely death of world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum, who passed away alongside his coach, following a road accident on Sunday.
Kiptum and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana had big plans for the year that included an attempt at running a sub-two at the Rotterdam Marathon as well as winning Olympics gold but that is now water under the bridge.
The athlete’s death has robbed not just Kenya but the world an incredible talent who was set to dominate the marathon, bringing back memories of the late Samuel Wanjiru, who passed away similarly in tragic fashion in May 2011.
The two men’s careers and the manner in which they died have very striking similarities which will leave many surprised.
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ATHLETICS Kelvin Kiptum: Unfulfilled marathon promise cut short by tragic loss
Kelvin Kiptum's death has left the whole world in utter shock and sadly, whatever was left of his extraordinary potential will now never be realised.
Died in tragic fashion
While Kiptum lost control of his car before hitting a tree, along the Elgeyo Marakwet-Ravine road, killing him on the spot, Wanjiru died following a mysterious fall off a balcony at his house in Nyahururu on May 15, 2021.
Just like Kiptum, the incident happened at night and his death remains a mystery that is yet to be unraveled to date.
Both died at 24
What is more heartbreaking is that the two runners died aged just 24 when they were just getting started.
Wanjiru had won the Chicago Marathon in 2009 and 2010 as well as the London Marathon (2009).
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He was also the reigning Olympic marathon champion after winning gold in Beijing 2008 in an Olympic record time of 2:06:32.
For Kiptum, he held three of the six fastest times by the time he died, having broken the world marathon record in Chicago last year, clocking 2:00:35.
That came after an incredible win in London last April where he timed 2:01:25, coming close to the world record. Kiptum had run the fastest debut marathon in history when he won in Valencia in December 2022 in a time of 2:01:53.
Careers just taking off
Following their heroics in a short period of time, the two had the world at their feet by the time they died.
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Wanjiru had been seen as the next big thing in marathon and was tipped to break the world record as well as retaining his Olympics gold in London the following year but he did not live to do it.
Kiptum was similarly tipped to be the man to take the mantle from legendary Eliud Kipchoge, especially after his astonishing run in London.
He was also seen as the man who would make history by running an official marathon under two hours and considered favourite to win Olympics gold in Paris, France this year.
Course records in London
In April 2009, Wanjiru won the London Marathon in a time of 2:05:10, a new personal record and also a new course record. That achievement saw him state that he was going to break Haile Gebrselassie's world record in the near future.
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ATHLETICS Gervais Hakizimana: Who is Kelvin Kiptum’s coach that died alongside the world marathon record holder?
Pulse Sports details everything you need to know about the Rwandan coach who was behind Kelvin Kiptum’s marathon success before they died together in a car crash on Sunday
Fourteen years later in the English capital, Kiptum did the unthinkable, winning decisively with the second-fastest mark in history at 2:01:25, a course record which was only 16 seconds outside Kipchoge’s world record.
He would break the world record six months later in Chicago.
Sub-two-hour ambitions
Back in February 2008, Wanjiru declared he would become the first man to run a marathon under two hours.
"In five years' time, I feel capable of clocking a sub two hour-time for the marathon,” Wanjiru said at the Granollers Half Marathon which he won.
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ATHLETICS Kenyans, please give Eliud Kipchoge a break! He had already tipped Kelvin Kiptum for greatness
Fans online have vilified Eliud Kipchoge for ‘not acknowledging’ Kelvin Kiptum’s achievements but they should be off his case since he had already tipped the fallen hero for greatness.
Meanwhile, since last year, the world has been waiting for Kiptum to run an official marathon under two hours.
He had already expressed his intentions of doing it at the Rotterdam Marathon in April.
“He had told me that he was feeling his body was in good shape and ready to run 1:59 or 1:58,” his heartbroken father Samson Cheruiyot told Citizen TV on Monday while recounting his last conversation with his son.
Last race in Chicago
The other striking similarity between Wanjiru and Kiptum is that Chicago Marathon was their last race before they died.
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Wanjiru went to Chicago in October 2010 bidding to retain his title but a stomach problem had affected his preparations and his camp were just hoping for a podium finish.
He, however, surprised them when he defended his crown in a time of 2:06:24.
For Kiptum, Chicago was his third race in under a year and while he had set incredible times, not many expected a world record.
He delivered in style, clocking 2:00:35, to become the first man to break the 2:01 barrier, igniting hope that a sub-two-hour race was on the cards before death struck.
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