London Marathon to pay tribute to Kelvin Kiptum
There will be 30 seconds of applause ahead of Sunday’s London Marathon in tribute of 2023 champion Kelvin Kiptum, who tragically died in a road accident earlier this year.
Kiptum was 24 at the time of his death and set the world record for the 26.2 mile race in Chicago, where he became the first person to run the marathon in under two hours and one minute unaided.
He died in February alongside his coach.
“We will be having a tribute to him on the start line for what he did in the incredible short time he was in our sport,” London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher said of Kiptum.
“Three wins out of three events, he was our course record holder and he then became the world record holder in Chicago.
“It will be 30 seconds of applause. We want to celebrate the man. There will be a VT played and we will be doing this in conjunction with the BBC in terms of what they’ll be doing.
“There will be some words that Geoff Wightman will speak just to remind people and celebrate his short but impactful life.”
Last year over 49,000 people started the mass-participation marathon, which goes off after the elite women and wheelchair races and alongside the men’s elite race.
Each of the winners will take home the same amount of prize money with the London Marathon becoming the first race to award equal prizes for able-bodied and wheelchair-using athletes.
Minority owner of Manchester United Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be among the famous faces taking part in the marathon on Sunday. His new team will take on Coventry in the FA Cup semi-finals later on Sunday.