The Olympic men’s marathon on Saturday will fall almost six months to the day since Kelvin Kiptum died.
He and his coach Gervais Hakizimana were killed in a road traffic accident in Kaptagat, Kenya, on 11 February. Kiptum was 24 and the darling of the marathon world.
It takes a special athlete to stand out among Kenyan marathoners. Kenyan men have set the past six marathon world records. Kenyans account for 32 of the 53 marathons that were run faster than two hours and four minutes. Sixteen Kenyan men have broken that threshold. Marathoners are the country’s sporting export.
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Since 1996, Kenyans have taken more men’s Olympic marathon medals (seven) than anyone
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