25-year-old Tirop, who represented the country in the 5,000m women’s race during the Tokyo Olympics, was found dead on Wednesday, October 13.

The lifeless body of the two-time world championships bronze medalist was found with stab wounds on the neck in her house in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.

Her family revealed that their daughter was in a strained relationship with the suspect, Ibrahim Rotich, before her untimely death.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Tirop’s husband who is the prime suspect in the incident was arrested Thursday evening in Mombasa and is set to be arraigned in court.

A statement from DCI reads “The prime suspect in the gruesome murder of 25-year old world 5000m record holder Tirop, has been arrested. Ibrahim Rotich who was in a relationship with the athlete was arrested in Changamwe, Mombasa County as he tried to flee to a neighbouring country to evade justice. The suspect is currently being grilled by detectives at Changamwe Police Station for more details into the murder, before being arraigned court to answer to murder charges.”

Meanwhile, Athletics Kenya has suspended all athletics events in the country for two weeks in honour of Tirop.

The 25-year-old long-distance runner, who represented Kenya at the Tokyo Olympics, was found dead in her house in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County on Wednesday, October 13.

Chairperson of Athletics Kenya in the Nairobi Region, Barnaba Korir, who confirmed the tragic news, said she had stab wounds in the abdomen, Barnaba Korir.

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

In the Tokyo Olympic Games, Tirop emerged fourth in the 5,000m women’s finals after clocking 14:39.62. 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.