Uganda’s Olympic athlete dies after being set on fire by boyfriend

Uganda’s Olympic athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, passed away on Thursday, four days after being set on fire by her boyfriend in her home, according to the country’s sports chief.

According to doctors, three-quarters of the 33-year-old sportswoman’s body was severely burned in an assault by her boyfriend, who doused her with petrol and set her on fire.

“We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei … following a vicious attack by her boyfriend,” Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) President Donald Rukare stated in a post on X.

“This was a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete. Her legacy will continue to endure,” he added.

Uganda’s minister of state for education and sports, Peter Ogwang, strongly condemned Rebecca Cheptegei’s tragic death. 

He stated that Kenyan authorities are actively investigating the matter and will soon present their findings.

The incident occurred a few weeks after Rebecca Cheptegei returned from the Paris Olympics 2024 and was staying at her home in Trans-Nzoia.

We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei OLY following a vicious attack by her boyfriend. May her gentle soul rest in peace and we strongly condemn violence against women. This was a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a… pic.twitter.com/V8Mog3oMOX

— Donald Rukare (@drukare) September 5, 2024

Her parents told the media that Cheptegei and her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, whom she met in Trans-Nzoia, were involved in a dispute over the house she bought in the Kenyan county to practice for her sport.

The deceased Olympian’s daughter told local media that she was at home when Ndiema assaulted her mother.

“He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother, she said.

The girl continued, “I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible.”

The Uganda Olympic Committee demanded “swift and decisive action to bring the perpetrator to justice for this cowardly and deplorable action.”

Cheptegei entered the world of sports in 2010 and represented Uganda in numerous long-distance races. She recently made her Olympic debut at the Summer Games in Paris.

Her death underscores the challenges faced by female athletes in Kenya, where at least three sportswomen have been killed since October 2021.