Johannesburg - Athletics Kenya on Wednesday confirmed the death of two-time World Championship bronze medalist Agnes Tirop after she was stabbed, allegedly by her husband.
AK said some of the details of the 25-year-old’s death were still unknown.
AK said in a statement: “Tirop was found dead at their home in Iten after she was allegedly stabbed by her husband. We are still working to unearth more details surrounding her demise.
Tirop who won bronze in the women’s 10 000m at the World Championships in 2017 and 2019, set a new women-only world record for 10km in Hamburg, Germany, just last month.
Agonisingly close to sub-30, Tirop won the women’s 10km in 30:01 and was well ahead of Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui who claimed second in 30:17.
“I’m so happy to have broken the world record,” said Tirop at the time. “I felt the pace was good and Sheila assisted me a lot. The course was very good too.”
We have learnt with utter shock and sadness the devastating news about the demise of our elite Olympian and world beating athlete, Agnes Tirop. ] She was Kenya's most prominent entrant for the 5000 meters at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics pic.twitter.com/GmzLD6SqSQ
Last week, Tirop ran in the women’s 10km race at the Valencia Marathon - and finished second in a time of 30:20.
Tirop’s decorated list of achievements also includes a World Cross Country title in 2015 during which she made history as the second youngest medalist ever at that level.
She also won the Africa Cross Country Championship in 2014 in Kampala, Uganda as well as the World Junior Cross Country Championship in 2013 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
AK added: “We pray that God may grant strength to family and friends at this difficult time.”
African News Agency (ANA)