NAIROBI, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police have intensified the search for missing athlete and Chicago Marathon star, Daniel Njenga following an alleged kidnapping and car-jacking incident in central Kenya.
Authorities confirmed Friday they had started investigations into the disappearance of Japan-based Njenga who has not been seen since Tuesday.
Confirming the incident Nyandarua North divisional police commander Timon Odino said police had launched a manhunt for the culprits.
"He was carjacked along the Nyahururu-Gilgil road and then allegedly kidnapped as he went to pick his daughter at the Pembrooke Schools in Gilgil (117km from Nairobi)," the police boss said.
"He has been in the country since April and it was normal for him to collect his last born from the school. He left Nyahururu at 3pm and never got back home," Obino added.
According to local reports, Njenga was attacked by armed men and has since not been traced leaving his family and the athletics fraternity from the Nyahururu region fearing for his life.
At the time of the incident, Njenga had left Ol Kalou town that is 123km from the Kenyan capital before his black SUV was carjacked and the vehicle has not been recovered.
Njanga had his first successes in 1995 when he won the steeplechase gold medal at the 1995 Summer Universiade and also the Chiba International Cross Country Ekiden.
Njenga turned to marathon running and made his debut in 1999 at the Mombasa Marathon, taking fourth place, and then coming tenth at the Fukuoka Marathon.
His breakthrough year came in 2002 when he was the runner-up at the Beppu-Oita Marathon and Chicago Marathon.
His time of 2:06:16 hours in Chicago made him the third fastest runner in the world for 2002, only behind Khalid Khannouchi and Paul Tergat.
He is known for his consistent, close finishes in Chicago, finishing as runner-up three times and third on two occasions, between 2003 and 2007.
He won Tokyo twice in 2004 and when the race was revamped in 2007 as well as taking the honours at the Sendai Marathon in 2006.
