- Kelvin Kiptum passed away in a fatal road accident on February 11, 2024, after a car he was driving in an accident on the Eldoret-Kaptagat highway
- Kiptum had broken the world record of the marathon just four months ago and was in line to be the first man to run a valid marathon less than 2 hours
- In celebrating his first year of death, TUKO.co.ke spoke to his father, his primary school teacher, his agent and his training partner and registering this sad report
February 11, 2024 – I had just finished setting the final touch on the report about the final of Afcon 2023 when preliminary news appeared.
It remains to be the hardest story I've ever worked for. The one you hope that your source was lying – that you never want to be true.
Source: Getty Images
The pain I felt as a stranger looking inside and marveled at his courage and achievements – the talent that was lost too early – was nothing compared to the feelings of those who knew him.
To me, Kelvin Kiptum He was one of the many athletes who dared to dream and brought me great joy and his short but successful work in the road race.
Kelvin Kiptum, a year later: praise, heartache
But for Elder Samson Cheruyiot, Kiptum was the first son – his only child – before he became known. For Marc Corstjens, he was a friend first before the athlete, and for Titus Maiyo, he was the first teacher before watching his athlete grow up and become a world's athlete.
This is not the kind of pain you can crave – no matter what they tell you about the time to heal all the wounds.
A year later, the pain is still still, if not more.
The bitterness of the father: Honor from his father Kelvin Kiptum
Kiptum's father is in pain to explain in the words how he has been confronted since his son died in the tragic road accident.
During our conversation, his verbal choice, the emphasis of the words, breaks, and love they shared remain a strong testimony of very short life but never forgotten.
“I'm talking to my son in the grave every morning. We never missed anything when he was alive. He was serving everything. Whatever we needed he gave. All human needs …”
Father Kelvin Kiptum, one year without Kelvin Kiptum: Father's pain, respect from loved ones.
Source: Getty Images
His pain cannot be tolerated as he claims those who promised to help him have not done so. Elder Samson complains of the sadness he left with.
“If Kiptum woke up and saw our situation, he would be surprised. We cry out to God every day. We are not recognized that Kiptum's parents.
We asked this question to the Kiptum agent and Golazo Representative Marc Corstjens, who opposed the allegations as reported by TUKO.co.ke.
Kelvin Kiptum agent: The pain is still very raw
Corstjens shared that the pain was still very clean and involved in the sadness of Elder Samson.
“Kelvin's death still has a lot of people, it's like yesterday. The year is about to end but the sadness is still there, surely the wife and two children and certainly by the parents, they still have a great shock. Yes, and that will take some time.”
The authorized representative of the World Athletics shared the plans that Golazo had set up to ensure the family was served. They have established the Kelvin Kiptum, which will also help young athletes in Kiptum village in Chepkorio.
“The consecration is ongoing. We work with his father Kiptum. He brought a few projects, which cost, yes, of course, from Kelvin's property, which he would like to investigate or where he needs help.
“We have seen the calculations, he brought it, we decided, move with these projects, there is already money sent to work on the first project.”
Teacher's statement: I miss his friendship
At Pombo Primary School, we meet Mr. Titus Maiyo, who contributed significantly to the formation of Kiptum. He taught the world record holder at Chepsamo Primary School. He has a good character and is a soft speaker, but the pain he endures is resolved only when he starts talking about his former student, who came to be the winner of the world.
“Kiptum's death affected me a lot and I am still affected to this day,” he says, “when he died, I tried hard to agree with what happened and even talked about it right now, it's not easy.”
Maiyo gives Kiptum a picture of a dream of any teacher: humble, co -operative, and quick to take instructions. He says he saw his potential at an earlier stage, due to the many kilometers he was traveling to and back to school every day.
“Once he was in the classroom, he kept very careful. Every day, he ran from home to school, every time. That's where his love for athletics started. He was a very friend. He had a lot of friends and I think that's his main power. “
I ask Maiyo what he misses more about Kiptum.
“I miss his friendship more. I haven't found upon it.”
From the gym: the best team participant
Below Chepkorio, where Kiptum was born and raised, I meet Henry Kipyego, a Kiptum co -trainer and one of his closest friends. She sounds happy and filled with life, but her friend's question brings her back to a place where she would never happen.
“Our practice was fun because he was there.
“He didn't have many words. He was helping. If you wanted help, all you had to do was just ask.”
Kipyego says he is trying to erase the memory of how his friend left the world, but whenever he remembers, all memories continue to return.
Kiptum only needed three race in 10 months to come from the first marathon race to the world's most optimistic marathon to the fastest race.
It hurt when he passed away, it hurt when we traveled to Elgeyo Marakwet to comfort his loved ones, and it was hurt when we buried him. A year later, it still hurts the same.
You may not be physically with us, but your loved ones remember you and they will appreciate you forever. It's over but it's not forgotten.
Continue to rest Kiptum.
Did Kiptum's father drove his son's widow?
TUKO.co.ke It has also reported about his father Kiptum in response to allegations that he fired his son's widow.
Unconfirmed reports emerged online of Kiptum's wife being dismissed in the house where the President William Ruto He built her, but Elder Samson has now set that record right.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
