The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s 3,000-meter steeplechase Champion Benjamin Kiplagat has died. Kiplagat was found dead on Saturday in Eldoret, Kenya.
Dominic Otuchet, the President of the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF), confirmed Kiplangat’s death. He said that Kiplagat was attacked at 9 pm by unknown people after withdrawing money from the bank.
According to Otuchet, as Kiplagat was heading to his brother’s home in Iten, Eldoret city, unknown assailants ambushed him while in his car, stabbed him in the chest, and stole an unspecified amount of money. His body was found lying on the driver’s seat.
Kiplagat began by competing in the 10,000 meters during the 2004 World Junior Championships. He made his international debut at the 2006 World Cross Country Championships, having qualified by finishing 6th in the Ugandan Junior Cross Country Championships.
At the World Junior Championships, he set a new national record of 8:35.77, which he then lowered to 8:34.14 in the final, and finished 6th.
In 2008, he finished 4th in the World Cross Country Championships. In the same year, he lowered the Uganda record to 8:16.06 and then 8:14.29 before finishing second in the World Junior Championships.
In the 2009 season, despite being disrupted by sickness, he managed to further lower the Ugandan national record to 8:12.98.
In 2010, he again lowered the Ugandan record to 8:03.81. He finished 4th at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
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