Photo: Getty Images
Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died following reports that her boyfriend set her on fire.
On Thursday (September 5), Cheptegei, who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, succumbed to her injuries days after her boyfriend doused her in petrol and set her on fire in Kenya on Sunday (September 1). The Olympian was being treated at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret City for burns on 75 percent of her body.
Cheptegei "passed today morning at 5:30 am after her organs failed," Owen Menach, senior director of clinical services at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, told Reuters.
Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom confirmed Monday (September 2) that Dickson Ndiema, Cheptegei’s boyfriend, bought a jerrican of petrol, poured it on her, and set her on fire during a dispute.
The attack on Cheptegei came just weeks after she placed 44th in the marathon event at this year's Olympics. Cheptegei's parents said the Ugandan athlete bought land in Kenya's Trans Nzoia so she could be close to the county's athletic training centers.
"We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei... following a vicious attack by her boyfriend," Donald Rukare, president of Uganda Olympics Committee, said in a post on X. "May her gentle soul rest in peace and we strongly condemn violence against women."
According to a report filed by the local chief, Cheptegei and her boyfriend were heard fighting over the land where the house was built before he set her ablaze. Ndiema also sustained burn wounds and is receiving specialized treatment at the hospital.
Kenyan Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said Cheptegei's death is a loss "to the entire region".
"This tragedy is a stark reminder that we must do more to combat gender-based violence in our society, which in recent years has reared its ugly head in elite sporting circles," Murkomen said in a statement.
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