The father of World Marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum has urged the government to expedite the investigation into his son’s death, which occurred on Sunday, February 11, 2024.

Samson Cheruiyot revealed that a group of four unidentified individuals had visited his home searching for his son, who later tragically passed away in a road accident along the Eldoret-Ravine road.

“A group of four people came to our home sometime back looking for him (Kiptum). When I asked them to identify themselves, they refused and left instead,” Mzee Cheruiyot said in an interview with Citizen TV.

Kiptum was my only child – Kelvin Kiptum’s dad

Mzee Cheruiyot revealed that the fallen late World Marathon record holder was their only child as his wife got sick and could not give birth to more children.

“He (Kiptum) was our only child. He leaves me, his mother, and his children behind. I don’t have any other child. His mother was sick for a while. I am deeply saddened,” he said.

Kelvin Kiptum dies in a road accident alongside his coach Gervais Hakizimana

Kiptum died alongside his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, a Rwandan national, a few days after World Athletics ratified his record of 2:00:35—a record he set at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 8, 2023.

ALSO READ: I learnt of my son’s death on TV – Kelvin Kiptum’s dad

The 24-year-old chalked 34 seconds off the previous record of 2:01:09 set by his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge on September 25, 2022, in Berlin.

Kiptum was only 24 years old and had a promising career ahead of him. According to Mzee Cheruiyot, his son was working on breaking the two-hour marathon barrier.