The lifeless body of Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat was found in Kenya, according to police statements on Sunday, with local media reports indicating a potential homicide.
Kiplagat, born in Kenya and aged 34, had proudly represented Uganda on the international stage in the 3,000m steeplechase, participating in numerous Olympic Games and World Championships.
Found on the outskirts of Eldoret in a car on Saturday night, the athlete’s body was discovered in an area renowned as the residence of numerous athletes in the Rift Valley town.
‘An investigation has been launched and officers are on the ground pursuing leads,’ local police commander Stephen Okal told reporters in Eldoret.
He said Kiplagat’s body had a deep knife wound to his neck, suggesting he was stabbed.
Reflecting on Boniface Kiprop’s success at the 2004 World Junior Championships, Kiplagat found renewed inspiration to pursue excellence in his own athletic journey.
Read also: Sports Minister Urges Top-notch Training For Nigerian Coaches
Although he initially focused on the 10,000 meters, his coach recommended a strategic shift to the 1500 and 5000 meters.
The doors to international competition swung open for him at the 2006 World Cross Country Championships, propelled by a 6th place standing in the Ugandan Junior Cross Country Championships.
In that year, he not only secured a spot in the World Junior Championships but also left an indelible mark by breaking the national junior record twice—first with a time of 8:35.77 and then an astounding 8:34.14 in the final, where he finished in 6th place.