Summary:

• Kenyan-born Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat, 34, known for his achievements in the 3000m Steeplechase, has tragically passed away with a deep knife cut wound on his neck, prompting investigations into the incident.

Ugandan runner Benjamin Kiplagat, born in Kenya, has passed away at the age of 34. The Kenyan police reported finding his lifeless body in his brother’s car near Kimumu Secondary School along Eldoret-Iten Road in Eldoret, western Kenya, on Saturday night. Authorities revealed that Kiplagat had a deep knife cut wound on his neck. A thorough investigation has been initiated to apprehend those responsible for this tragic incident.

Kiplagat ventured into running inspired by the success of Boniface Kiprop, a fellow villager who excelled in the 2004 World Junior Championships. Initially competing in the 10,000 meters, he later shifted to the 1500 and 5000 meters on the advice of his coach.

His international debut took place at the 2006 World Cross Country Championships, earning qualification after finishing 6th in the Ugandan Junior Cross Country Championships. In the same year, he set a new national junior record of 8:35.77 at the World Junior Championships, later lowering it to 8:34.14 in the final, where he secured a 6th-place finish.

In 2008, Kiplagat achieved a notable 4th-place finish in the World Cross Country Championships and lowered the Ugandan record to 8:16.06 and then to 8:14.29, ultimately securing second place in the World Junior Championships.

Despite facing health challenges in 2009, including malaria and typhoid, Kiplagat managed to further lower the Ugandan national record to 8:12.98. In 2010, despite battling malaria and a leg boil, he once again broke the Ugandan record, clocking 8:03.81 and finishing 4th at the Commonwealth Games.

The loss of Benjamin Kiplagat is a significant blow to the athletics community, and investigations are ongoing to bring justice to the perpetrators of this tragic crime.