Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who participated in the marathon at the last Paris Olympic Games, has died in the Kenyan hospital where she was admitted after suffering an attack from her boyfriendwhere he allegedly doused her with gasoline and set her on fire, the medical center reported Thursday.
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“Unfortunately, we lost her after all her organs failed last night,” said Dr Owen Menach, acting director of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, western Kenya, quoted by local media.
The Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) also confirmed the death of the 33-year-old athlete.
File photo, taken on 26/08/2023, of Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei during the marathon event at the World Championships held in Budapest (Hungary). Cheptegei, who participated in the marathon at the last Olympic Games in Paris,
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“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, early this morning, who was tragically a victim of domestic violence. As a federation, We condemn such acts and demand justice.“May his soul rest in peace,” the UAF said on its social media account X.
The incident occurred last Sunday in the Kenyan county of Trans Nzoia (west), from where the athlete was urgently transferred to the aforementioned hospital with burns on 80% of his body.
The alleged attacker, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, also suffered severe burns on 30% of his body and is currently in hospital. admitted to the same hospital in Eldoret.
On Sunday, Marangach broke into Cheptegei’s house with a five-litre jerrycan full of petrol, according to police.
The athlete had gone to church with her children and, when she returned, the man threw fuel at her and set her on fire.
The broker’s parents, Joseph Cheptegei and Agnes Ndiema, said their daughter, a resident of Uganda, had purchased land in the Kenyan county and built a a house where he stayed during his training.
Kenyan government regrets femicide
Cheptegei died after the Kenyan government announced plans on Wednesday to be able to transport the athlete to Nairobi so that he could receive specialized medical treatment given his critical condition.
“Efforts are being made to ensure that the athlete admitted in Eldoret is flown to Nairobi for treatment. specialized after the unfortunate femicide,” said Kenya’s Secretary of State for Sport, Peter Tum.
Cheptegei, who had been racing since 2010, participated in the women’s marathon event at the last Olympic Games in Pariswhere he finished in forty-fourth position.
EFE
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