Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei dies after being set alight by ex-boyfriend
Tragic Loss: Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei Dies Following Horrific Attack by Ex-Boyfriend
In a heartbreaking tragedy, 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has passed away days after being set on fire by her former boyfriend in north-west Kenya. The athlete, who competed in the recent Paris Olympics, succumbed to severe burn injuries at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, where doctors battled to save her life following the attack on Sunday.
Cheptegei had been returning home from church with her two daughters when the horrifying incident occurred. Local authorities reported that she had been targeted by her ex-partner after a heated dispute over a piece of land, with the man pouring petrol on her before igniting the flames. Though both Cheptegei and her ex-boyfriend sustained burns, his injuries were less severe, and he remains in intensive care.
Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, expressed his deep grief, lamenting the loss of a “very supportive” daughter who had been the family’s breadwinner. “We have lost our breadwinner,” he said, expressing concern about how her two young daughters would continue with their education.
Rebecca Cheptegei was well-regarded within the running community, not just for her athletic achievements, including a gold medal at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand, but also for her generosity. Fellow Ugandan athlete James Kirwa shared memories of her kindness, recounting how she had helped many runners financially. “She was like an older sister to me,” he said.
The violent nature of her death has sent shockwaves through the East African athletics community, drawing painful parallels with the killings of other female athletes, including Agnes Tirop in 2021 and Damaris Mutua in 2022, both of whom were victims of domestic violence. Kenyan runner Joan Chelimo, involved with Tirop’s Angels, an organization advocating against gender-based violence, called Cheptegei’s death another tragic reminder of the dangers female athletes face. “It has been a sad moment for athletes,” she said, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger protections and awareness efforts.
Kenyan authorities have launched an investigation into the attack, and Uganda’s Sports Minister Peter Ogwang confirmed that arrangements were being made to transport Cheptegei’s body back to Uganda for burial. “We mourn with the family as a country,” Ogwang stated, adding that Cheptegei had confided in him during the Olympics about family problems.
Cheptegei’s legacy as an accomplished athlete and a compassionate individual will not be forgotten, but her death highlights the ongoing struggle against gender-based violence. Kenyan Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen called her death a “stark reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence,” while various UN organizations, including the UN Population Fund and UN Women, condemned the act as part of a broader call for justice and protection for women globally.
As the athletics world grieves the loss of a beloved figure, the calls for justice and stronger action against gender-based violence grow louder.
