Death of Rebecca Cheptegei, the 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner: her partner doused her with petrol and set her on fire

Rebecca Cheptegei aux championnats du monde d'athlétisme à Budapest en 2023. EPA/MTI – Istvan Derencsenyi

Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who finished 44th in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, was hospitalized in Kenya after being the victim of an attempted murder by her partner on Sunday, September 1. The Ugandan Olympic Committee announced her death on September 5.

Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has died from burns, the president of the Ugandan Olympic Committee announced on Thursday, four days after a man identified as her partner set her on fire in western Kenya.

“We have learned of the sad passing of our Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei following a violent attack by her boyfriend. May her soul rest in peace and we strongly condemn violence against women,” Donald Rukare said in a message on X, deploring “a cowardly and senseless act that led to the loss of a great athlete.”

She had been burned on 75% of her body. body

The Kenyan partner of long-distance runner Dickson Ndiema Marangach broke into her home in the western county of Trans-Nzoia on Sunday and waited for her and her children to return from church, police said.

“Dickson poured petrol on Rebecca before setting her on fire,” according to the police report late Monday, which added that the Kenyan was also burned by the flames. No information has been released regarding the children of the athlete doused in gasoline and burned

The 33-year-old athlete and her partner were hospitalized with "multiple burns", according to police. According to The Star magazine, she has burns on 75% of her body.