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Another female Kenyan athlete found murdered, partner on the run

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A few months after a female Kenyan athlete, Agnes Tirop, was found stabbed to death in her home, another Kenyan female runner, Damaris Muthee Mutua, has been found murdered at the high-altitude Kenyan training town of Iten, the police say in a statement on Wednesday.

The Kenyan police also said the boyfriend of the long distance runner who competed on the international scene for Bahrain and is a suspect in her murder, is currently on the run and has been declared wanted.

“The victim’s boyfriend, identified as Ethiopian runner Koki Fai, is believed to have fled the country,” Keiyo County police chief Tom Maruko, told journalists.

“Damaris Muthee Mutua, a Kenyan-born distance runner who competed for Bahrain, was found dead at the home of her boyfriend,” Maruko said.

Mutua’s killing comes six months after the killing of Olympic runner and two-time world championship bronze medalist, Tirop, who was stabbed to death at her home in the same Iten in October, 2021.

Following her murder, Tirop’s partner was arrested and has been charged with murder, while her death prompted many Kenyans to speak out and hold protests against what they say is a deep-rooted problem of domestic violence against female athletes in the country.

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Kenyan court jails killers of Ugandan Olympian Kiplagat for 35 years

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A Kenyan court sitting in Nairobi on Tuesday sentenced two men, Peter Ushuru Khalumi, 30, and David Ekai Lokere, 25, to 35 years in prison each for the murder of Ugandan Olympic athlete, Benjamin Kiplagat, who was stabbed to death last year.

Khalumi and Lokere were both found guilty by Justice Reuben Nyakundi of the Kenyan High Court in the northwestern city of Eldoret for stabbing the 34-year-old steeplechaser to death.

In his ruling, Nyakundi said overwhelming evidence from CCTV cameras showed the pair intentionally killed the athlete, adding that they had not shown any remorse for the pre-meditated crime and deserved a harsh sentence.

“Your actions were cruel to a defenceless person whose life you cut short contrary to God’s plan, where God intended man to live for a minimum of 70 years,” Nyakundi said while announcing the 35-year sentence for each defendant.

The judge however, rejected a plea from Kiplagat’s mother, Elizabeth Chemweno, and his two brothers who wanted Khalumi and Lokere to be given life sentences.

The two convicts were arrested a day after the athlete’s body was found in his car on the outskirts of Eldoret on New Year’s Eve with a deep wound to his neck in a murder that shocked the country and Africa in general.

Kiplagat who was born in the Eldoret region in Kenya, had an illustrious career spanning almost two decades, and had represented Uganda internationally in the 3,000m steeplechase, including at several Olympic Games and World Championships.

He won the silver medal in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2008 World Junior Championships and bronze at the African Championships in 2012 and made the semi-finals of the event at the 2012 Olympics in London and also competed in Rio in 2016.

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Chepkirui leads Kenya to podium sweep at New York City Marathon

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Kenya had a clean sweep of the podium at the 2024 New York City Marathon on Sunday as Sheila Chepkirui clinched victory in the race, clocking 2:24:35, with the defending champion, Hellen Obiri, securing second place, while Vivian Cheruiyot finished third.

In just her fourth marathon, Chepkirui ran a ferocious last half mile to win the race ahead of Obiri, the 2024 Olympic bronze medalist.

Chepkirui, 33, came into the race with the fastest personal best in the field, 2:17:29, which she ran at the 2022 Valencia Marathon though this is her her first win at a world marathon major.

Speaking in the post-race press conference the race, she said:

“Winning means a lot to me. It means my training has been going well, and I’m really happy for the win.

“The last turn was really tough. I was still with Hellen. I told myself I had to push up at the finish line.

“In the last mile, it was really hard. I pushed myself. I’m so happy. I pushed myself to the limit.”

This Kenyan dominance underscores the nation’s strength in long-distance running, particularly in major marathon events.

The 2024 New York City Marathon featured a competitive field, but the Kenyan athletes’ performances stood out, reaffirming their status as leading figures in women’s marathon running.

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