Kenyan long distance runner and world bronze medalist Agnes Jebet Tirop has been stabbed to death at her home, with her husband named by local police as a prime suspect in their murder investigation.

The 25-year-old was found dead at her home in Iten, in western Kenya, a town renowned as a training base for distance runners.

Her husband, Ibrahim Kipchumba, is the main suspect in the murder and he remains on the run as of Thursday morning.

Her body was found on Wednesday, October 13, at her home, which is approximately 350km from Nairobi. Police confirmed the body had stab wounds on her neck and chest.

Kenyan police say they have initiated investigations into the matter. Head of the local Police, Tom Makori, said it appeared that the athlete's husband had called his parents, crying.

"There are revelations which came from her husband's family indicating that the husband had called his parents crying. He was explaining to them that may God forgive him because there is something he has done," he said.

Tirop won 10,000m bronze at both the 2017 and 2019 World Athletics Championships, and won gold at the 2015 World Cross Country Championships.

Athletics Kenya said it was still working to uncover details of the incident but it had been informed of Tirop's death.

Last month, Tirop smashed the women-only 10km world record in Germany, crossing the line in 30:01 to shave 28 seconds from the previous record held by Morocco’s Asmae Leghzaoui from 2002.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is on an official visit to the USA, has called on the authorities to speed up investigations and arrest the culprits.

Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta said: "It is unsettling, utterly unfortunate and very sad that we’ve lost a young and promising athlete who, at a young age of 25 years, had brought our country so much glory.”

Tirop was one of Kenya's most talented long distance runners and competed in the 5000m at the just concluded Tokyo Olympics where she finished fourth, just outside the medal bracket.

Since returning from Tokyo, Tirop slashed 28 seconds off the previous 10km road race record and posted an impressive time of 30:20 at last week’s Valencia Half Marathon.

Along with her senior titles, Tirop claimed 5,000m bronze at the 2012 World Junior Championships.