STORY: Kenyan marathon record holder Kiptum dies in road crash
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 11-12, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 13, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:45
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the accident scene
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JACKSON TUWEI, Athletics Kenya president
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ABABU NAMWAMBA, Cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports
4. various of Kiptum's engagements with the public during his lifetime 
STORYLINE:

The athletics world Monday paid tribute to marathon record holder, Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a road accident alongside his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana on Sunday night in northwest Kenya.

According to Elgeyo Market Police Commander Peter Mulinge, Kiptum was driving a sedan vehicle when it lost control and crashed along a road in Uasin Gishu County at around 11pm (20:00 GMT) on their way to his training camp in Kaptagat, killing him and his coach on the spot.

A third passenger - a woman identified by police as Sharon Kosgei - sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized in Eldoret.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JACKSON TUWEI, Athletics Kenya president
"At the accident, Kelvin lost control of the vehicle, he veered off the road and entered into a ditch. He drove through the ditch for 60 meters before hitting a big tree, and that's what I believe is what caused this damage we are talking about."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ABABU NAMWAMBA, Cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports
"Kenya, the world and the fraternity of athletics and sports in general have lost a special shining gem. A truly top-tier athlete and sportsman. We pay tribute to him for what he has achieved in his short life at the age of 24, he has placed our country in the stars. We celebrated him when he was honored as the athlete of the year among the six top athletes in Monaco, just a couple of months ago." 
Kiptum, 24, died just six days after World Athletics ratified his 2:00:35 world record set at the 2023 Chicago Marathon last September.

Kiptum had been included in Kenya's marathon men's provisional squad for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he was lined up for a showdown against countryman and deposed record holder, two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge.
   
He leaves behind a widow, son and daughter.
   
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)