In South Africa, the police have confirmed the discovery of the body of former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag, who had been missing since last month. The 42-year-old athlete, who won the 2003 world title in Paris and competed at the 2004 Olympics, was found shot. While Freitag’s family has chosen not to comment on the matter, police located the body in a field near a cemetery in Pretoria. The body has yet to be formally identified by family members.
Freitag’s sister, Chrissie Lewis, took to social media to ask for assistance in finding Freitag after he disappeared from his mother’s residence on June 17th. Lewis revealed that Freitag had been struggling with drug addiction following the conclusion of his athletics career. Despite his impressive career that included winning world titles at various levels, this unfortunate turn of events has shocked many in South Africa and beyond as Freitag had become a well-known figure due to his athletic achievements.
The circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear and authorities are conducting further investigations to determine what led to this unfortunate outcome. As news of Freitag’s passing continues to spread, friends, family and fans are mourning the loss of a talented athlete and remembering the legacy he leaves behind.