Mr. Jacques Freitag Obituary, Death; – The distressed former athlete disappeared a few weeks ago after paying a visit to his mother’s residence in Bronkhorstpruit shortly after his birthday. Reports indicated that the once-celebrated South African sports star was facing difficulties, unemployed, and grappling with substance abuse issues.
On the night of his disappearance, the 42-year-old was taken from his mother’s house around midnight and left in the Booysens area by an unidentified individual who claimed to have a job opportunity for him. Tragically, this was the final sighting of him alive.
His lifeless body, drenched in blood and bearing multiple gunshot wounds, was discovered on Tuesday afternoon near Zandfontein Cemetery in Pretoria West. Since his disappearance on June 17, his sister Chrissie Lewis had been actively searching for him, noting that his towering height of 6ft8 would make him easily recognizable.
Brigadier Brenda Muridili, a spokesperson for the South African Police, confirmed that the man had been fatally shot multiple times, leading authorities to treat the case as a homicide. Mr. Freitag, a former four-time South African high jump champion, achieved a National Record by clearing 2.38m in 2005.
In 2003, he secured a Gold Medal at the IAAF World Championships in Paris by clearing 2.35m at the Stade de France, solidifying his global reputation. Retiring from professional sports in 2013, he reportedly struggled to maintain stable employment, often resorting to sleeping on the streets or couch-surfing.
Mr. Freitag was among a select group of athletes, including Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown, to claim World Championships at all three levels. He emerged victorious in the high jump at the Youth World Championships in Poland in 1999, the Junior World Championships in Chile in 2000, and the Senior World Championships in France in 2003.
This tragic incident follows the harrowing account of a British couple who were allegedly kidnapped, dismembered, and sold in South Africa last year. Tony and Gillian Dinnis, devoted retirees, were reportedly assaulted and taken captive by three armed individuals at their isolated farm in Middl.
