Champion of the Olympic marathon Kenya Wanjiru dead: police

NYAHURURU, Kenya  - champion Marathon Olympic Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru was killed when he jumped the balcony of his house late Sunday, police, said Monday.

Police said they were trying to verify if the 24-year-old - the first Kenyan to win the Olympic gold medal in the marathon in Beijing in 2008 - him-same had deliberately killed by jumping from the balcony at his home in Nyahururu, a town in the Rift Valleysome 150 km (94 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi.

Jaspher Ombati, the head of the regional police for the region, said Wanjiru appeared to have suffered internal injuries after the fall and was confirmed by doctors at a nearby hospital.

"I can confirm that Wanjiru is dead." It is not yet clear if it was a suicide or if he jumped rabies, or what led to fall to the ground, "Ombati said to Reuters.

"He rose from his balcony on the first floor to the ground." He was bleeding from the nose and mouth and suffered internal injuries, "said the Chief of police.

Ombati said police were investigating a triangle possible love that could have been behind the death of Wanjiru, a former winner of the Chicago and London marathons.

Ombati said married athlete Triza Njeri came home to find Wanjiru in bed with another woman, had locked the couple in the bedroom and ran outside.

WANJIRU then jumped off the balcony, he said.

Ombati said Njeri and companion of the Wanjiru female help the police to investigate the death.

Last December, Wanjiru was charged in court with threat to kill Njeri and illegal possession of an AK-47 assault rifle.

Subsequently, Njeri withdrew the charge of attempted murder against him in court, saying that the couple had reconciled.

It has also suffered minor injuries from a car accident in January when he swerved to avoid an oncoming truck, hit a hole pot and rolled in his car.

WANJIRU defied Beijing heat in 2008 triumph in Olympic record time at the games in China.

A young man, Wanjiru moved to the Japan in 2002 to attend high school after winning a trial of selection of cross country to the Kenya.