Body of ex-Olympian Jacques Freitag found in South Africa as cops open murder case

CAPE TOWN — South African police have discovered the body of former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag after he vanished last month, local media reported on Wednesday.

The reports said the 42-year-old, who won the 2003 world title in Paris and competed at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, had been shot.

His family declined to comment.

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Police said they found the body in a field near a cemetery in the city of Pretoria.

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The Associated Press reported Wednesday that the body had not yet been formally identified by family members.

But in a statement to ESPN on Thursday, SA Police Service Brigadier Brenda Muridili said, “The family have identified the body as his.”

She added: “I can confirm that a missing person’s case in Hercules has been changed to a case of murder,” according to ESPN.

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Muridili added, “No one has been arrested yet but the police are following up on leads,” per the outlet.

Freitag’s sister, Chrissie Lewis, had appealed for help on social media to find Freitag, who disappeared in the predawn hours of June 17 after leaving his mother’s house.

Lewis said he had struggled with drug addiction after his athletic career ended.

Freitag was among a select group of athletes to win world titles at youth, junior and senior level.

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