By Humphrey Malalo
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenyan police said on Thursday they were asking the husband of distance runner Agnes Tirop, a two-times World Championship bronze medallist who was found dead at her home, to come forward.
Police said on Wednesday that Tirop appeared to have been stabbed in the neck with a knife.
The 25-year-old represented Kenya in the 5,000 metres at the Tokyo Olympics and finished fourth in the finals.
“We are now urging Ibrahim Rotich, husband to the late Kenyan athlete to present himself to the nearest police station or security agency to assist police with their investigations,” Tom Makori, sub county police commander for Keiyo North, told Reuters by telephone.
“We have not arrested the suspect by Thursday, but we have some information which can lead us for his arrest.”
Last month, Tirop smashed the women-only 10km world record in Germany, crossing the line in 30:01 to shave 28 seconds from the previous record held by Morocco’s Asmae Leghzaoui from 2002.
In early October, Tirop, finished second in the Giants Geneva 10K race.
She won bronze medals at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships in the 10,000m, and also won the 2015 World Cross Country Championships.
“Athletics has lost one of its brightest young stars in the most tragic circumstances,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said in a statement late on Wednesday.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta asked on Wednesday for a quick investigation into Tirop’s death.
(Reporting by Humphrey Malalo; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Toby Davis)
