Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who competed in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, has died in a Kenyan hospital where she was admitted after being allegedly attacked by her partner, who doused her with petrol and set her on fire, the hospital said Thursday. “Unfortunately, we lost her after all her organs failed last night,” said Owen Menach, acting director of the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, western Kenya.
The attack occurred on Sunday in Transnzoia County in western Kenya, from where the 33-year-old athlete was taken to hospital due to the severity of her injuries. The chief executive of the medical centre, Owen Menach, said that Cheptegei was quickly transferred to intensive care. “The amount of burns is 80%, which is very severe,” added Menach. The athlete owns a house in Kenya and usually spends time there to carry out her training.
Kenyan Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said in a statement that the government would seek justice for Cheptegei: “Her passing is not only a loss for Uganda and the athletics community, but for the entire region.” He added that this tragedy is a reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence. Kenyan National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said: “We recognise the gravity of the circumstances surrounding her loss and are confident that the ongoing investigation will bring swift justice.”
The Kenya Olympic Team has sent its “deepest condolences to Rebecca Cheptegei’s sporting community, family and friends in Uganda.” It posted on X that “Rebecca’s talent and perseverance as the Ugandan women’s marathon record holder and Paris 2024 Olympian will always be remembered.”
For its part, the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) has expressed its “deep sadness” at the death of the athlete. “As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace,” the UAF said on its account on the social network X. The president of the Uganda Olympic Committee, Donald Rukare, shared on X: “We strongly condemn violence against women. This was a cowardly and senseless act that leads to the loss of a great athlete.”
Ugandan Deputy Sports Minister Peter Ogwang has told X that a more detailed report on the attack will be provided following investigations in Kenya.
The alleged attacker, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, also suffered serious burns on 30% of his body and is currently in the same hospital where the athlete was taken. Police believe that Marangach sneaked into Cheptegei’s house on Sunday with a five-litre can of petrol. The athlete had gone to church with her children and when she returned the man threw the fuel at her and set her on fire.
Rebecca’s parents, Joseph Cheptegei and Agnes Ndiema, said their daughter, who lives in Uganda, had bought land in the Kenyan county and built a house where she stayed during training. Rebecca is survived by two children aged 12 and 13. Speaking outside the hospital where his daughter was treated, Joseph Cheptegei told the BBC that Rebecca was the family’s breadwinner.
Cheptegei died after the Kenyan government announced plans on Wednesday to transfer her to Nairobi for specialist medical treatment. Cheptegei, who had been racing since 2010, finished 44th in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics.
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