Kelvin Kiptum, the 24-year-old Kenyan marathon world record-holder, died in a car crash on Sunday.
The accident occurred while Kiptum was driving from Kaptagat to Eldoret in the Rift Valley.
## What happened?
Kiptum's car careered off the road and hit a tree, killing him and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana instantly.
A woman passenger was injured in the crash.
The police report stated that Kiptum lost control of the vehicle and veered off-road before hitting the tree.
## Why it matters for Kelvin Kiptum
Kiptum's death has sent shockwaves through the athletics world, with tributes pouring in from rival Eliud Kipchoge and Kenyan President William Ruto.
Kipchoge described Kiptum as a "rising star" with a whole life ahead of him to achieve greatness.
## What comes next?
The death of Kiptum is a significant blow to Kenya's athletics hopes, particularly with the Paris Olympics just months away.
Kiptum was expected to face off against Kipchoge at the Olympics, in what would have been their first meeting.
Kiptum had burst onto the marathon scene with a world record in Chicago in October, slicing 34 seconds off Kipchoge's previous record.
He also won his debut in Valencia in 2022 and a follow-up in London the following year, recording three of the seven fastest marathon times in history.
Kiptum's Valencia debut was the fastest in history, according to World Athletics.
The organization mourned the loss of "one of the most exciting new prospects to emerge in road running in recent years".
Kiptum's death is the latest in a saga of tragedies to hit Kenya's athletics hopefuls, including the death of Samuel Wanjiru in 2011.
Wanjiru died at the same age as Kiptum, 24, in a mysterious accident at his home.
Kiptum's humble beginnings saw him herding goats and sheep before following Hakizimana and other runners as they trained in the high-altitude Eldoret region.
He leaves behind a wife and two children.
The athletics world will deeply miss Kelvin Kiptum, a talented young athlete with a bright future ahead of him.