British athletics champion Leon Baptiste, 41, has reportedly gone missing while on holiday in Morocco, with no contact from him for approximately two months. The former sprinter, who won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, is believed to have travelled to Morocco for what was thought to be a stag do or golfing holiday, but the trip was only intended to span a weekend.
No contact since Moroccan trip
Attempts to reach Baptiste via text and calls have reportedly been unsuccessful, triggering worries about his wellbeing. Alarm bells were first rung by a former team-mate on August 14. Friends and colleagues have reportedly had no communication with him since his Moroccan holiday.
A former team-mate confided to the Guardian: "No one knows what has happened. It is very worrying."
Illustrious sprinting career
Baptiste boasts an illustrious sprinting career, winning two gold medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. He triumphed in the 200m race and also secured gold as part of England's 4x100m relay squad.
Baptiste made a splash in the athletics world as a youngster, clinching 100m gold for Great Britain at the 2003 European Junior Championships in Finland when he was just 18. He also claimed victory as part of the 4x100m relay squad. His triumphs led to him being crowned junior male athlete of the year by the British Athletics Writers' Association.
Coaching career and impact
Currently, Baptiste serves as a coach to several top-tier athletes, including Charlie Dobson, who nabbed bronze in the 4x400m relay at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Dobson recently fell short of progressing beyond the 400m semi-finals at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.
Baptiste was absent from the London 2012 Olympics due to surgery. He hung up his spikes aged 28 in 2014 and transitioned into coaching. His absence from the athletics scene has been conspicuous, with no word from him since his Moroccan holiday.
