Agnes Jebet Tirop of Kenya celebrates winning bronze in the women's 10,000m final on the second day of the 17th Doha 2019 World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium.
(Credit: Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images for IAAF)
(CNN) -
Kenyan athlete Agnes Tirop, who represented her country at the recent Tokyo Olympics participating in long-distance running, was found dead at home, the Kenya Athletics Association (AK) announced Wednesday in a statement.
According to the country's governing body for athletics, Tirop - a 25-year-old medalist who held the world record in the 10-kilometer race - was found dead at her home in Iten, Kenya, after being "allegedly stabbed."
Simone Biles says "I should have quit long before Tokyo"
Local reports claim that Tirop was found dead with stab wounds to the abdomen.
AK said it "is still working to unearth more details surrounding his passing."
Tirop's agent, Gianni Demadonna, also confirmed his death by email to CNN.
CNN contacted AK, but was not available for further comment.
Medalist and owner of the world record in 10 kilometers
The 25-year-old won bronze medals in the 10,000 meters at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships and finished fourth in the 5,000 meters at the Tokyo Games.
Last month, Tirop made history by lowering the old women's world record of 10 kilometers by 28 seconds at the Adizero Road To Records event in Germany.
Tirop finished in a time of 30:01, beating the previous record of 30:29, set by Moroccan Asmae Leghzaoui in 2002.
After the race, she said: "I am very happy to have broken the world record. I felt the pace was good. The course was also very good."
At the 2015 World Cross Country Championships, Tirop became the second-youngest gold medalist in women's career history, after Zola Budd.
AK said the country had "lost a gem that was one of the fastest growing athletics giants on the international scene, thanks to its eye-catching performances."
Homicide olympic games
