Athletics Kenya has passed on their condolences to the family and friends of 25-year-old Agnes Tirop who was found dead at her home in Iten.
Tirop was one of the world’s top distance runners, having broken the women-only world record for 10km last month (30:01). She was also the 2015 world cross-country champion, a two-time world medallist over 10,000m, and had placed fourth over 5000m at this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“Kenya has lost a jewel,” Athletics Kenya said in a statement. “She was one of the fastest-rising athletics giants on the international stage thanks to her eye-catching performances on the track.”
“Athletics has lost one of its brightest young stars in the most tragic circumstances,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “World cross country champion at just 19, Agnes Jebet Tirop burst on to the global scene in 2015 and has been one of the world’s best female distance runners over the past six years. This is a terrible blow to the entire athletics community, but especially to her family, her friends and Athletics Kenya and I send them all our most heartfelt condolences.”
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta also paid tribute to Tirop.
“It is unsettling, utterly unfortunate and very sad that we’ve lost a young and promising athlete who, at a young age of 25 years, had brought our country so much glory through her exploits on the global athletics stage including in this year’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she was part of the Kenyan team,” said Kenyatta. “It is even more painful that Agnes, a Kenyan hero by all measures, painfully lost her young life through a criminal act perpetrated by selfish and cowardly people.”
— Athletics Kenya (@athletics_kenya) October 13, 2021
