LONDON (AP) — The London Marathon paid tribute to last year’s winner Kelvin Kiptum with a period of applause before the start of the men’s race on Sunday.
Kiptum was killed along with his coach in a car crash in his native Kenya in February. At the age of 24, he was already the marathon world record holder and viewed as a top contender for gold at the Olympics in Paris this year.
Kiptum set a London Marathon course record of 2 hours, 1 minute, 25 seconds in 2023 — finishing nearly three minutes ahead of his closest rival.
A video of his win was played before the start of the men’s race on Sunday, before a period of applause by the runners and the crowd at both the start area in Greenwich and the finish in front of Buckingham Palace in central London.
Kenenisa Bekele, the Ethiopian former Olympic 10,000 and 5,000-meter champion who is still competing in the elite marathon field at the age of 41, said this week that Kiptum had already created “an amazing history” in the sport.
Laurence Fox livestreams row with London bus driver after car and double
Wang Yi: U.S. must be rational about China
NY tightens security in subways as crimes rise
China reprimands U.S. for economic bullying over semiconductor restrictions
Strong earthquakes shake area near Japanese region hit by Jan. 1 fatal disaster, but no tsunami
Von der Leyen wins conservatives' backing to lead EU
Palestinians seek unity with appointment of new PM
Japan offers $20m to IAEA during agency's head visit
MAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENT: We deserve better than over
Minister pledges to improve security of State benefits
Scaffolding and a skip are sighted at tatty Windsor Royal Lodge
FM: China supports int'l peace conference on Ukraine crisis