Kelvin Kiptum: London Marathon to honour departed champion after last year’s heroics

Kiptum has opted out of the World Championships. World Athletics

Kelvin Kiptum: London Marathon to honour departed champion after last year’s heroics

Joel Omotto 15:35 - 18.04.2024

The London Marathon will pay special tributes to the late Kelvin Kiptum who won last year’s race in emphatic fashion.

London Marathon will pay homage to Kelvin Kiptum, the world marathon record holder, who died following a car crash in February.

Kiptum is the defending London Marathon champion but he will not be a live to see the man who will take over from him having been scheduled to feature at last weekend’s Rotterdam Marathon before his untimely demise.

The marathon great announced himself on the grand stage at London last year when he obliterated the field to win the race in 2:01:25, missing Eliud Kipchoge’s world record by just 16 seconds before he went to Chicago and lowered it by clocking 2:00:35.

Organisers of Sunday’ race therefore plan to honour him as there will be a 30-second round of applause, a video of Kiptum’s life and performances will be played and Geoff Wightman, who is one of the announcers at the London Marathon, will also speak.

Unlike in Rotterdam last week, Kiptum’s family will not be present in London.

“We want to celebrate the man,” said Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the London Marathon. “We’ll be doing this in conjunction with the BBC, as well, in terms of what they’re doing.

“There’ll be some words that Geoff will say, just to remind people [of Kiptum] and celebrate his short but impactful life.”

With Geoffrey Kamworor pulling out this week, Kenya’s hopes in London lie in Alexander Mutiso who finished second at the Valencia Marathon in February.

He is however up against a strong Ethiopian contingent led by reigning New York City Marathon champion Tamirat Tola, Dawit Wolde and Kinde Atanaw, Leul Gebresilase and Seifu Tura.

Veteran Kenenisa Bekele is also hoping to pull an upset while Kenya’s Daniel Mateiko is among the rank outsiders.

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