Agnes Tirop, athlete who represented Kenya in 5,000m in Tokyo Olympics, found dead

Agnes Tirop, 25, was found dead on Wednesday, October 13, at her home in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County. [File, Standard]

Agnes Tirop, a Kenyan athlete who represented the country in the 5,000m women's race during the Tokyo Olympics is dead. 

Tirop was on Wednesday, October 13, found dead in her house in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.

She had stab wounds in the abdomen, Barnaba Korir, the chairperson of Athletics Kenya in Nairobi Region told The Standard.

It is suspected her ex-lover is behind the killing.

Tokyo Olympics

In the Tokyo Olympic Games, the 25-year-old finsihed fourth in the 5,000m women’s finals after clocking 14:39.62.

Netherlands superstar Sifan Hassan won gold in the race after clocking 14:36.79, with Kenya’s Hellen Obiri settling for silver after clocking 14:38.36. Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay won bronze in 14:38.87.

Tirop was the 2019 World 5,000m bronze medalist. She also won the 2015 senior Cross Country Championships honours.

Tirop smashed the 10km World record on September 12, 2021. She clocked 30:01 to shave 28 seconds from the previous women-only 10km road record held by Asmae Leghzaoui of Morrocco from 2002.