Athletics-Marathon world record holder Kiptum dies in road accident

FILE PHOTO: Oct 8, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya celebrates after setting a new world record time of 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his coach were killed in a traffic accident in the Rift Valley on Sunday, cutting short the career of the only man to have run the endurance classic in less than two hours and one minute.

The 24-year-old set the world record at the Chicago Marathon in October with a time of two hours and 35 seconds to surpass the mark of 2:01:09 run by compatriot Eliud Kipchoge in Berlin in 2022.