Olympic athlete dies days after being set alight by ex-boyfriend

Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died days after being doused in petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend.

The 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner, who competed in the recent Paris Olympics, had suffered extensive burns after Sunday’s attack.

The authorities in north-west Kenya, where Cheptegei lived and trained, said she was targeted after returning home from church with her two daughters.

A report filed by a local administrator alleged the athlete and her ex-partner had been wrangling over a piece of land. Police say an investigation is under way.

There are concerns about the increasing cases of violence against female athletes in Kenya. Cheptegei is the third to have been killed since October 2021.

Speaking to journalists outside the hospital where she had been treated, her father, Joseph Cheptegei, said that he had lost a daughter who was “very supportive” and asked the Kenyan government to ensure justice is done.

Dr Owen Menach, the head of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, told local media that the athlete had died after all her organs failed.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest In Peace,” Uganda’s athletics federation said in a post on X.

Cheptegei’s former boyfriend was also admitted to the hospital – but with less severe burns. He is still in intensive care but his condition was “improving and stable”, Dr Menach said.

“The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her,” local police chief Jeremiah ole Kosiom was quoted by local media as saying.

Ms Cheptegei, from a region just across the border in Uganda, is said to have bought a piece of land in Trans Nzoia county and built a house, to be near Kenya’s many athletic training centres.

“This was a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete. Her legacy will continue to endure,” the head of Uganda’s Olympic committee Donald Rukare said on X.

Talking to reporters, earlier in the week her father, Joseph Cheptegei, said that he prayed “for justice for my daughter”, adding that he had never seen such an inhumane act in his life.

Cheptegei finished 44th in the marathon at the recent Paris Olympics.

She also won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022.

Her death comes after the killings of fellow East African athletes Agnes Tirop in 2021 and Damaris Mutua the following year, with their partners identified as the main suspects in both cases by the authorities.

Tirop’s husband is currently facing murder charges, which he denies, while a hunt for Mutua’s boyfriend continues.

Violence against women is a major concern in Kenya. In 2022 at least 34% of women said they had experienced physical violence, according to a national survey.

“This tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence, which has increasingly affected even elite sports,” Kenya’s Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said.