Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei passed away a few days after her ex-boyfriend doused her in petrol and set her on fire.
Following the attack on Sunday, the 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner—who recently participated in the Olympics in Paris—suffered from severe burns.
Cheptegei lived and trained in north-west Kenya; according to the local authorities, she was targeted when she and her two daughters came home from church.
Joseph Cheptegei, her father, announced that he had lost a “very supportive” daughter. James Kirwa, a fellow athlete from Uganda, spoke with the BBC about her magnanimity and how she had provided financial support to other runners.
The sportswoman and her ex-partner allegedly fought over a plot of land, according to a report submitted by a local official. According to police, an investigation is ongoing.
“Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei perishes after her ex-boyfriend sets her on fire.”
Cheptegei, who is believed to have purchased a plot in Trans Nzoia County and constructed a home close to Kenya’s top training facilities for athletes, is said to be from a region just across the border in Uganda.
In Kenya, attacks on women have grown to be a serious problem. In 2022, a nationwide survey revealed that at least 34% of women reported having been victims of physical violence.
Kenya’s Minister of Sports, Kipchumba Murkomen, stated, “This tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence, which has affected even elite sports increasingly.”
Speaking to reporters outside the medical facility where she had received care, Mr. Cheptegei requested that the Kenyan government see to it that his daughter’s death was handled justly.
“Our primary provider has departed,” he continued, expressing concern for her two 12- and 13-year-old children’s ability to “continue their education.”
The athlete, according to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital consultant Dr. Kimani Mbugua, “had a severe percentage of burns, which unfortunately led to multi-organ failure, which ultimately led to her passing this morning at 05:30 [02:30 GMT],” despite the staff’s best efforts, Mbugua told local media.
Kirwa told the BBC that Cheptegei “was a very affable person” after visiting her in the hospital. When she returned from the Olympics, she brought me training shoes and helped us all out financially. To me, she resembled an older sister.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically fell victim to domestic violence early this morning,” the Ugandan Athletics Federation said in a post on X. We, the federation, denounce these actions and demand justice. May peace be upon her soul.
This is really distressing. British Olympian Ellish McColgan wrote on X, “It’s even more heartbreaking that it’s not the first time the athletics community has lost such an incredible female athlete to domestic violence.”
Though his burns weren’t as bad, Cheptegei’s ex-boyfriend was also admitted to the Eldoret hospital. Although he remains in intensive care, Dr. Owen Menach of Moi Hospital reported that his condition was “improving and stable.”
The couple was heard fighting outside their home, according to a local media quote from local police chief Jeremiah Ole Kosiom. The boyfriend was seen dousing the woman in liquid during the argument before setting her on fire.A great athlete has been lost as a result of this cowardly and senseless act. Donald Rukare, the chairman of Uganda’s Olympic committee, stated on X that her legacy will live on.
Her father expressed to reporters earlier in the week that he prayed “for justice for my daughter” and that he had never witnessed an act of such inhumanity. Cheptegei placed 44th in the recent Olympics in Paris’ marathon competition.
At the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, she also took home the gold medal.Her passing follows the murders of fellow East African athletes Agnes Tirop in 2021 and Damaris Mutua the following year; the authorities have named their partners as the primary suspects in both cases.
While Mutua’s boyfriend is still being sought after, Tirop’s husband is currently being investigated for murder, a charge he contests.
(BBC)
