Olympic Marathon Runner Rebecca Cheptegei Dies After Being Set on Fire in Gasoline Attack by Boyfriend

Olympic Marathon Runner Rebecca Cheptegei has died at age 33 following a gasoline attack weeks after competing at the 2024 Paris Games

Peoplemag
Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei dies after being set on fire by ex-boyfriend

Rebecca Cheptegei, who competed in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, died Thursday from injuries suffered Sunday when she was set on fire.

USA TODAY
Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei dies after being burned by partner

Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died at a Kenyan hospital where she was being treated for burns over 80% of her body from an attack by her partner. She was 33. A hospital official confirmed her death on Thursday. Police say Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement Sunday. A report filed by the local chief said the couple was heard fighting over the land where her house was built before the fire started. Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics less than a month before the attack. She finished in 44th place.

AP News

#Uganda #Olympic #runner’s #horrific #death is the latest in #violence against #female #athletes in #Kenya.

Her #murder follows the #deaths of at least two other high-profile #female #runners in cases of #domesticviolence in the last three years in a region that has produced dozens of #Olympic and #worldchampions.

https://apnews.com/article/kenya-cheptegei-athletes-killed-olympics-8b01e636fd28190b09415c24a8e82d92

Uganda Olympic runner's horrific death is the latest in violence against female athletes in Kenya

Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei’s horrific death after being doused with petrol and set on fire by her boyfriend has again brought to the fore Kenya’s tragic history of domestic violence against female athletes. Cheptegei, who was 33, was from Uganda and competed in the marathon at the Paris Olympics less than a month ago. She lived in western Kenya’s famous high-altitude training region that draws the best distance runners from across the world. Her death follows those of at least two other high-profile female runners, killed in cases of domestic violence in the last three years in the region that's produced dozens of Olympic and world champions.

AP News