Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has died after being set on fire by her boyfriend in a brutal attack, hospital officials confirmed on Thursday.
Cheptegei, 33, died days after suffering burns on more than 75% of her body.
The attack took place in Kenya, where Cheptegei lived and trained.
She was doused in petrol and set on fire by her boyfriend on Sunday.
After being rushed to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, doctors worked to save her, but her organs failed, and she died early Thursday morning.
Rebecca Cheptegei competed in the Paris Olympics, finishing 44th in the marathon.
Her death marks the third violent death of a female athlete in Kenya since October 2021.
Uganda’s Olympic Committee president, Donald Rukare, expressed the nation’s grief on social media.
“We have learned of the sad passing of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei following a vicious attack by her boyfriend. May her gentle soul rest in peace. This was a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.”
Uganda’s minister of state for sports, Peter Ogwang, called the death “tragic” and assured that Kenyan authorities are investigating the circumstances.
A full report is expected soon.
Other Murder Cases
Cheptegei’s death brings renewed attention to the growing violence faced by female athletes in Kenya.
In October 2021, Olympian Agnes Tirop was murdered by her husband, who was later found dead with multiple stab wounds in her home in Iten.
The incident prompted the creation of “Tirop’s Angels,” a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting domestic violence against female athletes.
Joan Chelimo, a co-founder of Tirop’s Angels, explained that female athletes often fall victim to men who are drawn to their success and wealth.
“They get into these traps of predators who pose in their lives as lovers,” she said.
Kenyan runner Damaris Mutua was also murdered by her boyfriend in 2022.
An autopsy revealed that Mutua had been strangled, and additional tests were conducted to determine if further foul play was involved.
