Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, renowned for her marathon prowess and recent competitor in the Paris Olympics, has tragically died following a violent attack. The 33-year-old marathon runner suffered extensive burns after being doused in petrol and set on fire by her former boyfriend. The assault occurred on Sunday as Cheptegei returned home from church with her two daughters in north-west Kenya, where she had been living and training.
Local authorities revealed that the attack was linked to an ongoing dispute over a piece of land between Cheptegei and her ex-partner. This incident highlights a troubling trend of increasing violence against female athletes in Kenya, with Cheptegei being the third such victim since October 2021.
Cheptegei’s father, Joseph Cheptegei, expressed profound grief and called for justice, describing the loss of his daughter as devastating. Dr. Owen Menach from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret confirmed that Cheptegei succumbed to organ failure due to the severity of her burns. Uganda’s athletics federation and the Ugandan Olympic Committee both condemned the violence and paid tribute to Cheptegei’s legacy.
The former boyfriend, also hospitalized with less severe burns, is in stable condition. The police report indicates that a quarrel was heard before the attack, which involved the boyfriend pouring a flammable liquid on Cheptegei.
Cheptegei’s death follows the murders of East African athletes Agnes Tirop in 2021 and Damaris Mutua in 2022, with their partners being primary suspects. This pattern underscores the urgent need to address gender-based violence, which remains a significant issue in Kenya. According to a 2022 national survey, at least 34% of women in Kenya have experienced physical violence.
Kenya’s Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen has urged for intensified efforts to combat gender-based violence, emphasizing the impact it has even on elite athletes.
