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Rebecca Cheptegei, a 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner who competed in the recent Paris Olympics, has died days after being doused in petrol and set on fire by her former boyfriend.
The attack occurred on Sunday after Cheptegei returned home from church with her two daughters in north-west Kenya, where she lived and trained.
According to the BBC, the authorities confirmed she suffered extensive burns from the incident. Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, expressed deep grief, calling his daughter “very supportive.
“Fellow Ugandan athlete James Kirwa praised her generosity, noting her financial assistance to other runners.
A report filed by local administrators suggested that the conflict between Cheptegei and her ex-partner was related to a dispute over a piece of land. Police are investigating the case.
Cheptegei, from Uganda, had purchased land in Trans Nzoia County and built a house near Kenya’s elite athletics training centers.
The case highlighted the growing concern of gender-based violence in Kenya. A 2022 national survey reported that 34 percent of women had experienced physical violence.
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Kenya’s Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen emphasized the urgent need to address gender-based violence, noting that even elite athletes are not immune.
Cheptegei’s father urged the Kenyan government to ensure justice for his daughter and expressed concern about how her two children, aged 12 and 13, would continue their education.
Local police chief Jeremiah ole Kosiom reported that the couple had been heard arguing before the attack, during which the ex-boyfriend poured a liquid on Cheptegei and set her alight.
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