Benjamin Kiplagat

Benjamin Kiplagat
Benjamin Kiplagat
	Kiplagat in 2010
Born	4 March 1989; Magoro, Uganda
Died	31 December 2023 (aged 34); Eldoret, Kenya
Occupation	Long-distance runner

Benjamin Kiplagat (4 March 1989 – 31 December 2023) was a Ugandan long-distance runner specialising in the 3000 metres steeplechase.^[1]

Life

Kiplagat took up running following the success of Boniface Kiprop, who is from the same village as Kiplagat was, in the 2004 World Junior Championships. He began by competing in the 10,000 metres, but on the advice of his coach, he dropped down to the 1500 and 5000 m.^[1]

Kiplagat made his international debut at the 2006 World Cross Country Championships, having qualified by finishing 6th in the Ugandan Junior Cross Country Championships. That year he also qualified for the World Junior Championships. There, he set a new national junior record of 8:35.77, which he then lowered to 8:34.14 in the final, where he finished 6th.^[1]

In 2008, Kiplagat finished 4th in the World Cross Country Championships. That year, he lowered the Uganda record to 8:16.06 and then 8:14.29 before finishing second in the World Junior Championships.^[1]

Kiplagat's 2009 season was disrupted by malaria and typhoid, but he still managed to further lower the Ugandan national record to 8:12.98. He was again affected by malaria, and a boil on his leg, in 2010, but again lowered the Ugandan record to 8:03.81. He finished 4th at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.^[1]

Kiplagat was reported to have been stabbed to death, after his body was found in a car on 31 December 2023, near Eldoret in Kenya.^[2]^[3] Two men were subsequently arrested in connection to the murder; one of them had the suspected murder weapon on his person.^[4]

International competitions

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing Uganda
2006	World Cross Country Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	50th	Short race (4 km)	11:31
2006	World Junior Championships	Beijing, China	6th	3,000 m st	8:34.14
2007	World Cross Country Championships	Mombasa, Kenya	5th	Junior race (8 km)	24:31
	All-Africa Games	Algiers, Algeria	7th	3,000 m st	8:34.83
	World Championships	Osaka, Japan	28th (h)	3,000 m st	8:40.65
2008	World Cross Country Championships	Edinburgh, United Kingdom	4th	Junior race (7.905 km)	22:43
	World Junior Championships	Bydgoszcz, Poland	2nd	3,000 m st	8:19.24
	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	9th	3,000 m st	8:20.27
2009	World Championships	Berlin, Germany	11th	3,000 m st	8:17.82
2010	African Championships	Nairobi, Kenya	5th	3,000 m st	8:32.03
2010	Commonwealth Games	Delhi, India	4th	3,000 m st	8:24.15
2011	World Championships	Daegu, South Korea	10th	3,000 m st	8:22.21
2012	African Championships	Porto Novo, Benin	3rd	3,000 m st	8:18.73
2012	Olympic Games	London, United Kingdom	6th (h)	3,000 m st	8:18.44^[a]
2013	World Championships	Moscow, Russia	14th	3,000 m st	8:31.09
2015	World Championships	Beijing, China	31st (h)	3,000 m st	8:54.46
2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	19th (h)	3000 m st	8:30.76
2019	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	18th (h)	3000 m st	8:24.44