Former High Jump Champion Jacques Freitag Found Dead in South Africa: A Tragic Loss for the Athletic Community

According to local media reports, the body of former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag has been discovered by South African police after he went missing last month. The 42-year-old athlete, who won the 2003 world title in Paris and competed in the 2004 Olympics, was discovered shot.

Freitag’s sister, Chrissie Lewis, had reached out for assistance on social media after Freitag disappeared in the early hours of June 17 following a visit to his mother’s home. She noted that he had been battling drug addiction since retiring from his athletic career. The family has chosen not to comment on the situation at this time.

The authorities located Freitag’s body in a field near a cemetery in Pretoria. While it has not been officially identified by family members yet, Freitag’s sister confirmed that it is indeed her brother’s body. Hendrick Mokganyetsi, the chairperson of Athletics South Africa Commission, shared memories of Freitag’s success in the sport. Mokganyetsi recalled Freitag setting a national record by jumping 2.38 meters in March 2005 and achieving several other milestones throughout his career. He also mentioned Freitag’s accomplishments at the world junior championships in 2000 and the world championships in Paris in 2003, where Freitag became the first South African to win a gold medal in high jump. Freitag’s accomplishments earned him a place among a small number of athletes who have won world titles at the youth, junior, and senior levels.