# Sammy Wanjiru, 2008 Olympic Marathon Champ, dead at age 24

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sammy-wanjiru-2008-olympic-marathon-champ-dead-at-age-24/582394>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 19, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sammy-wanjiru-2008-olympic-marathon-champ-dead-at-age-24/582394 "2011-05-19T01:58:55Z")\
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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sammy-wanjiru-2008-olympic-marathon-champ-dead-at-age-24/582394/1 "2011-05-19T01:58:55Z")

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Died from injuries after falling from a balcony during a domestic dispute.  
[NY Times story.](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/sports/olympic-marathon-champion-is-killed-in-fall-from-balcony-at-his-home-in-kenya.html?_r=1)

At this point, it’s unknown if the fall was an accident, homicide or suicide.

He was arrested in December for threatening to kill his wife and for possession of an AK-47.

Olympic Gold Medal  
World Record holder in the Half Marathon  
[Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Wanjiru)