Police: Kenya's Olympic marathon champ jumps to death

Wanjiru jumped from the second-floor of his home late Sunday after his wife caught him in the company of another woman, said Jasper Ompati, a police official in Nyahururu.

Wanjiru's wife, Tereza Njeri, and another woman were taken to the police station to give statements but were not considered suspects, Ompati said. The death remains under investigation, he said.

Njeri, who lives in Nairobi, returned home unexpectedly to find the two together, Ompati said. Wanjiru is believed to have jumped after his wife locked him inside a bedroom on the second floor, making it impossible for him to leave, he said.

Wanjiru achieved worldwide fame when he became Kenya's first Olympic marathon champion at the Beijing Games in 2008.

Kenyans were mourning the death of Wanjiru, who was considered a national hero. Hundreds were lining up to view his body at a Nyahururu funeral home.

Athletics Kenya, the governing athletic body, said the country lost a great athlete. The association said it had pinned its hopes on Wanjiru to win another medal at the London Olympics in 2012.

"He's left a gap that will be hard to fill," said David Okeyo, the secretary-general of Athletics Kenya.

At 21, Wanjiru was the youngest gold medal winner in the marathon at an Olympics since 1932.

After his Beijing triumph, Wanjiru has set about dominating the marathon distance, claiming a number of victories in races; Kazinform cites CNN.

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