As the London Marathon approaches, athletes express that the late Kelvin Kiptum will always have a special place in their hearts.

The Kenyan star runner, who won last year’s race, tragically passed away in a car crash in February at the age of 24, alongside his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana.

His death, coming just months after he became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours and one minute in Chicago, sent shockwaves through the sport.

Kiptum was reportedly planning a bid to run the 42-kilometre distance in under two hours in Rotterdam in April, a feat that has never been achieved in open competition.

“The course is named after him. We are all remembering him now. We have placed him in a special place in our hearts. In a really short time, he lit up the sport,” said Ethiopian Olympic gold medalist, Kenenisa Bekele.

In winning the London Marathon last year, Kiptum set a new record time for the event of two hours, one minute, and 25 seconds.