Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died days after being doused in petrol and set on fire by her former boyfriend, according to Ugandan officials. The 33-year-old marathon runner, who recently competed in Paris, sustained severe burns in the attack, which occurred on Sunday after she returned home from church.
The incident took place in north-west Kenya, where Cheptegei lived and trained. Authorities have reported that the attack might be linked to a dispute over land between the athlete and her ex-partner. Police have launched an investigation.
Concerns are growing over the rising cases of violence against female athletes in Kenya, with several such incidents ending in death. Uganda’s athletics federation expressed deep sorrow in a statement on X, condemning the violence and calling for justice.
Dr. Owen Menach of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, where Cheptegei was being treated, confirmed that she passed away after multiple organ failures. Her former boyfriend, who also suffered burns, is receiving treatment at the same hospital.
Cheptegei’s father, Joseph Cheptegei, has called for justice, describing the attack as inhumane. Her death follows similar tragedies involving East African athletes, such as Agnes Tirop and Damaris Mutua, whose partners were identified as primary suspects in their cases. Tirop’s husband faces murder charges, while a search is ongoing for Mutua’s boyfriend.
