London Marathon 2024: Kelvin Kiptum in thoughts of all runners - Kenenisa Bekele
- Published
Kenenisa Bekele is targeting his first London Marathon win
London Marathon 2024 |
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Date: Sunday, 21 April Times: 09:05 BST wheelchair races, 09:25 elite women, 10:00 elite men and masses |
Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app from 08:30 |
The London Marathon elite men's field will be thinking of the late Kelvin Kiptum during Sunday's race, says Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele.
World record-holder Kiptum died in a car accident in Kenya in February, at the age of 24, alongside his coach.
Kiptum set a course record of two hours one minute and 25 seconds as he won last year's London Marathon, before breaking the world record in Chicago.
"All of us miss him," said Bekele. "We are all remembering him."
Competing in just his third marathon, Kiptum smashed the previous record held by compatriot Eliud Kipchoge by 34 seconds in Chicago in October.
Before his death, Kiptum was preparing to attempt to run the Rotterdam Marathon - which took place earlier this month - in under two hours.
Bekele, who is the third-fastest marathon runner in history, said: "Even within his short time, he has been setting an amazing history."
The 41-year-old added Kiptum would have "for sure" completed a marathon in under two hours, whether "at Rotterdam or somewhere else".
Bekele, whose best London Marathon finish is second in 2017, told BBC Sport he is excited to still be competing with the younger generation.
He will take on New York City Marathon winner and 2022 world champion Tamirat Tola, 32, from Ethiopia, as well as Kenya's Alexander Mutiso Munyao, 27, who was runner-up at the 2023 Valencia Marathon.
"I never worried about any young competitors in the race any time, but my worry sometimes is my health," added Bekele.
"If my health was 100% there, I never fear anyone".
Emile Cairess and Callum Hawkins are among the British elite men's runners on Sunday.
Cairess, who finished sixth last year, is hoping to secure a spot at this year's Paris Olympics alongside training partner Philip Sesemann.
Sesemann completed the Seville Marathon inside the qualifying time of 2:08:04 in February.
"When we first started training together, if somebody told us we could go to the Olympics together it would have probably looked pretty unrealistic," said Cairess, 26.
"Getting to go to the Olympics with Phil would be really special and I am so happy that he has been able to do it."
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