Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat, aged 34, has been discovered dead in Kenya, as confirmed by the police on Sunday.
Reports from local media suggested that he may have been murdered.
Kiplagat, who was originally from Kenya, had represented Uganda internationally in the 3,000m steeplechase, participating in multiple Olympic Games and World Championships.
His lifeless body was found in a car on Saturday night on the outskirts of Eldoret, a town in the Rift Valley known for being home to many athletes.
“An investigation has been launched, and officers are on the ground pursuing leads,” local police commander Stephen Okal told reporters in Eldoret.
The police have reported that Benjamin Kiplagat’s body showed signs of a deep knife wound to his neck, indicating that he may have been stabbed.
Benjamin Kiplagat, specializing in long-distance races, represented Uganda in the Rio Olympics Games in 2016 in Brazil.
Throughout his impressive 17-year career, the 34-year-old athlete earned several accolades, including a World Under 20 Championships Silver medal and an African Championships Bronze medal.
In the World Athletics Rankings, he held the 38th position overall in the Men’s 3,000-meter Steeplechase.
Kiplagat participated in various competitions, including the Shanghai Samsung Diamond League, Lausanne Athletissima in Switzerland, Paris Meeting Areva, and Hengelo Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in the Netherlands.
Notably, in June 2012, Kiplagat made history by securing bronze in the 3,000-meter Steeplechase final, becoming the first Ugandan male athlete to win any kind of medal and breaking the dominion of Kenyan athletes in the event.
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