TOKYO – Two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge paid tribute to Kelvin Kiptum on March 1, after the world-record holder died tragically when his car crashed into a tree.

The 39-year-old is preparing to compete in the Tokyo Marathon on March 3 in his first race since his Kenyan compatriot lost his life on Feb 11 at the age of 24.

Kiptum died just months after beating Kipchoge’s world record and the two stars were expected to face off for the first time at this summer’s Paris Olympics.

Kipchoge said it was “unfortunate that he left here”.

“His career was in high spirits and he was really running on a high level,” he added.

Although Kiptum competed in only three marathons in his career, he won all of them and posted three of the seven fastest times in history.

He had burst onto the scene in 2022 with a stunning debut in the 42.195km distance in Valencia, where he clocked 2hr 1min 53sec.

The father of two was driving in the Rift Valley, the heartland of Kenyan distance running, when his car careered off the road. Police said Kiptum and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana were killed on the spot, while a female passenger was injured.

Kiptum’s death shocked Kenya and the world of athletics.

Kipchoge added that the Olympic marathon would be “a little bit different” following Kiptum’s death.

“There were high expectations,” said Kipchoge, who won gold at the 2016 Rio Games and again five years later at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Kiptum ran 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon last October to slice 34 seconds off Kipchoge’s previous world record. He stood on the podium alongside Chicago women’s champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, who is also competing in Tokyo.

Hassan, who won in Chicago in the second-fastest women’s time in history, said she was “heartbroken” by Kiptum’s death.

“When he broke the world record in Chicago I shared it with him,” she said.

“He was so young and he was showing the world what was possible. It’s very hard.”

Kipchoge returns to Tokyo for the first time since breaking the course record in 2022 in a time of 2:02:40.

His strongest challenge is expected to come from fellow Kenyans Vincent Ngetich, Timothy Kiplagat and Benson Kipruto.

Reigning Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion Hassan is competing in only her third marathon, having won both her previous races in London and Chicago.

She will face off against Ethiopia’s world marathon champion Amane Beriso Shankule and Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya, the 2023 Tokyo champion.

Kipchoge, meanwhile, also said the prospect of a third Olympic gold was not yet on his mind.

“I normally work one by one, I treat every work individually,” he said.

“My training and focus was on Tokyo. Immediately after Tokyo, I will focus on another task.” AFP