Kenya is a nation celebrated for its extraordinary athletic prowess, particularly in long-distance running, producing legends who have dominated global competitions.
However, beneath this illustrious sporting reputation lies a somber reality, the tragic loss of several elite athletes to violence.
In this article, WoK delves into the lives and untimely deaths of these remarkable individuals, highlighting the circumstances surrounding their demise.
Agnes Tirop
Agnes Tirop, a 25-year-old Kenyan long-distance runner and Olympian, was found dead at her home in Iten, Kenya, on October 13, 2021.
She had been stabbed multiple times in the abdomen and neck, allegedly by her husband Ibrahim Rotich.
Tirop was a rising star in athletics, having won bronze medals in the women’s 10,000 meters at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships.
She also finished fourth in the 5,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics.
Just a month before her death, Tirop set a new women-only 10km road race world record in Germany.
Rotich, the prime suspect in Tirop’s murder, allegedly confessed to the crime before fleeing the country. He was later arrested and charged with her murder, pleading not guilty.
The slow progress of the legal proceedings has added to the distress of Tirop’s grieving parents, who await justice for their daughter.
Damaris Mutua
Damaris Muthee Mutua, a Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete, was tragically found dead in Iten, Kenya, in April 2022.
Her body was discovered in a decomposing state in a rental house, with authorities later determining that she had been strangled.
The prime suspect in her murder is her Ethiopian boyfriend, Eskinder Hailemaryam Folie, who allegedly confessed to the crime before fleeing the country.
Mutua, 28, had previously represented Kenya at the Youth Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the 1,000 meters before switching allegiance to Bahrain.
Her death occurred just months after the murder of Tirop, highlighting a disturbing trend of violence against women in the athletics community in Kenya.
Following her death, there was a renewed outcry about gender-based violence, with calls for greater protections for female athletes and accountability for perpetrators.
Rebecca Cheptegei
Rebecca Cheptegei, a 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner, tragically passed away on September 5, 2024, after suffering severe burns from an attack by her ex-boyfriend.
The incident occurred on September 1, when he allegedly doused her in petrol and set her on fire during a domestic dispute at her home in Kenya, resulting in burns covering 75% of her body.
Cheptegei had recently participated in the Paris Olympics, finishing 44th in the marathon. She was hospitalized in critical condition but succumbed to her injuries after her organs failed.
The Ugandan athletics community and her family expressed deep sorrow over her death, highlighting her supportive nature and the impact she had on fellow athletes.
