South African police find body of former high jump world champ Freitag, who was shot

CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- South African police have discovered the body of former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag after he went missing 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, had been shot.

His family declined to comment. Police said they found the body in a field near a cemetery in the city of Pretoria. The body had not yet been formally identified by family members.

Freitag's sister, Chrissie Lewis, had appealed for help on social media to find Freitag, who went missing in the predawn hours of June 17 after leaving his mother's house. Lewis said he had struggled with drug addiction after his athletics career ended.

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

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