Olympic Marathon Runner Rebecca Cheptegei Dies After Petrol Attack

Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has tragically passed away following a violent attack in which she was doused in petrol and set on fire by a former partner, according to Ugandan officials. The 33-year-old athlete, who had recently competed in Paris, succumbed to severe burns sustained in the attack, which occurred on Sunday after she returned from church. Cheptegei, who lived and trained in north-west Kenya, was reportedly targeted in an altercation related to a dispute over land with her ex-boyfriend. The police have launched an investigation into the incident, amid growing concerns about the rise of violence against female athletes in the region.

The Uganda Athletics Federation expressed deep sorrow over Cheptegei’s death and condemned the act of domestic violence, calling for justice and peace for the deceased athlete. Dr. Owen Menach, head of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, confirmed that Cheptegei’s death resulted from multiple organ failures. Her former boyfriend, who also suffered burns, was hospitalized with less severe injuries. The local police chief reported that the attack occurred during a heated argument, with the boyfriend pouring a flammable liquid on Cheptegei before setting her ablaze.

Cheptegei, originally from Uganda, had recently purchased land in Kenya’s Trans Nzoia County and built a house to be closer to athletic training facilities. Uganda’s Olympic committee praised Cheptegei’s athletic legacy, describing the attack as a senseless act that has robbed the sport of a talented competitor. Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, called for justice, lamenting the inhumanity of the crime. The athlete, who finished 44th in the marathon at the Paris Olympics and won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in 2022, is the latest in a troubling pattern of violence against East African female athletes, following the recent murders of Agnes Tirop and Damaris Mutua.