The body of Jacques Freitag, a 42-year-old South African athlete and 2003 world high jump gold medallist, was discovered near a cemetery in Pretoria with gunshot wounds. He had been reported missing two weeks prior and was last seen leaving his mother’s house with an unknown man in the early hours of June 17. South African media reports indicate that the police are treating the case as murder, but as of now, no arrests have been made.
Freitag’s athletic career was marked by success, including winning the world under-18 title in 1999 and the world under-20 gold in 2000. He claimed global gold in the high jump event in 2003, with a leap of 2.35m, beating out competitors Stefan Holm of Sweden and Mark Boswell of Canada. His personal best jump was 2.38m in 2005.
The tragic death of Jacques Freitag has shocked the athletics community, and his contributions to the sport will not be forgotten. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death, and more information may come to light as the case progresses. Subscribe to AW magazine for updates on this story and more.