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18th Sep 2018

Spanish golfing champion found murdered on US golf course

Carl Kinsella

Celia Barquin

A man has been arrested and charged with murder after the body of a Spanish golfing champion was found on an Iowa golf course.

Celia Barquín Arozamena was an amateur golf champion, having won European Ladies’ Amateur championship in July earlier this year.

Barquín was 22 years of age, and was studying civil engineering at the Iowa State University. She had previously been named Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year, and had competed in the Youth Olympic Games in China.

Golfers discovered an unattended golf bag at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames, Iowa and alerted the authorities.

Barquín’s body was discovered by police at the course on Monday morning (17 September).

A man named Collin Daniel Richards, also 22, has now been arrested and charged with her murder, police have confirmed.

Tributes have poured in for the much-admired young athlete.

“This is a tragic and senseless loss of a talented young woman and an acclaimed student athlete,” Iowa State University President Dr. Wendy Wintersteen said.

“We mourn with her family and friends in Spain, her teammates here and all who knew her. On behalf of the entire Cyclone family, I extend our deep condolences to Celia’s family and her many friends and teammates at Iowa State. We are deeply saddened.”

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