Kiplagat’s physique was discovered with a knife wound to his neck, suggesting he was murdered, in accordance with the native police.
Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat has been discovered lifeless in Kenya, police say, with Uganda’s Every day Monitor and different media shops in Kenya reporting he had been stabbed to dying.
The Kenyan-born Kiplagat, 34, had represented Uganda internationally within the 3,000-metre steeplechase, together with at a number of Olympic Video games and World Championships.
His physique was found in a automobile on the outskirts of Eldoret, a city located within the Rift Valley, on Saturday evening.
Eldoret is understood for being residence to quite a few athletes who bear coaching within the high-altitude area.
“An investigation has been launched and officers are on the ground pursuing leads,” native police commander Stephen Okal advised reporters in Eldoret on Sunday.
He mentioned Kiplagat’s physique had a deep knife wound to his neck, suggesting he was stabbed.
‘Shocked and saddened’: condolences pour in
“World Athletics is shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Benjamin Kiplagat,” the worldwide athletics governing physique mentioned in an announcement on X, previously Twitter.
“We send our deepest condolences to his friends, family, teammates and fellow athletes. Our thoughts are with them all at this difficult time.”
Peter Ogwang, state minister for sports activities in Uganda, expressed comparable sentiments on X.
I’m saddened to listen to concerning the dying of our athlete, Benjamin Kiplagat who was reportedly murdered in Kenya. I ship my deepest condolences to his household, Ugandans, and the whole East Africa for the lack of such a budding athlete who has on a number of events represented us on… pic.twitter.com/yX29cBnAl3
— Peter Ogwang (@OgwangOgwang) December 31, 2023
“I send my deepest condolences to his family, Ugandans, and the entire East Africa for the loss of such a budding athlete who has on several occasions represented us on the international scene,” he mentioned.
Media studies mentioned Kiplagat had been coaching within the Eldoret space earlier than going to Uganda to take part in athletics competitions.
Nonetheless struggling to return to phrases with it. Former 3000m steeplechase runner Benjamin Kiplagat was murdered earlier right this moment in western Kenya. His neck was reduce with a knife. He represented Uganda at 3 @Olympics & 6 @WorldAthletics Championships. Gained 2008 world junior silver in Poland… pic.twitter.com/tclMqs2k0D
— Darren Allan Kyeyune (@AllanDarren) December 31, 2023
Kiplagat, whose working profession spanned about 18 years, gained the silver medal within the 3,000-metre steeplechase on the 2008 World Junior Championships and bronze on the Africa Championships in 2012.
He made the semi-finals of the occasion on the 2012 Olympic Video games in London and competed in Rio in 2016.
His dying follows the killing in October 2021 of Kenyan distance working star Agnes Tirop, who was discovered stabbed to dying on the age of 25 in her residence in Iten, a coaching hub close to Eldoret.
Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, went on trial for her homicide final month. The 43-year-old has denied the cost in opposition to him and was freed on bail simply earlier than the trial opened.