World marathon record-holder Kelvin Kiptum dies in a car crash in Kenya

Outright tragic news is a poor substitute for dismal news

Kelvin Kiptum, the owner of the fastest, third-fastest, and seventh-fastest times in the history of the men’s 26-mile, 385-yard marathon, has died in a car crash in the western part of his native Kenya, according to reporting by the Associated Press, World Athletics, and others.

Those three marathons—a 2:01:53 at the 2022 Valencia Marathon, a 2:01:25 at the 2023 London Marathon, and a world-record 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon in October—spelled the entirety of Kiptum’s one-of-a-kind, already almost unfathomable marathon career.

Kiptum had clearly not yet attained his peak owing not only to his age (24) and trajectory alone, but also to his penchant for remarkable late-race acceleration. That he had the potential to break two hours in a legitimate marathon is not remotely in question.

With a life lasting only 24 years, 2 months, and 9 days, Kiptum summons to mind the tragically short lives of Steve Prefontaine, the 1972 American Olympian at 5,000 meters who died in a car crash in Eugene, Oregon on May 39, 1975 at the age of 24 years, 4 months, and 5 days; and Sammy Wanjiru, the troubled Kenyan superstar and Olympic Marathon record-holder (2:06:32 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics) who died in a fall on May 15, 2011 at the age of 24 years, 6 months, and 5 days old, possibly as a result of foul play.

Back to the Super Bowl, I guess.

Fuck.