Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei is in critical condition in a Kenyan hospital after reportedly being attacked by her former boyfriend, who allegedly poured petrol on her and set her on fire.
Cheptegei, a 33-year-old marathon runner who recently participated in the Paris Olympics, sustained severe burns and is receiving treatment at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, a local facility in the town of Eldoret, which is a training hub for many of the world’s top distance runners.
The attending doctor at the hospital told local media on Tuesday (Sept. 3) that her injuries are extensive, and she is currently sedated due to the severity of her condition.
The attack took place at Cheptegei’s residence in Endebess, a small town about 90 kilometers (56 miles) northwest of Eldorat, in western Kenya, and 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the Ugandan border. Reports suggest that she was attacked after returning home from church with her two children. Neighbors intervened and rescued her from the attack, which occurred outside her house.
The local police chief, Jeremiah ole Kosiom, told media that during an argument Cheptegei’s former boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on her before igniting it. The alleged attacker also suffered serious burns during the altercation, according to police.
Cheptegei, originally from the region near the Ugandan-Kenyan border but on the Ugandan side, had recently purchased land and built a house in Trans Nzoia County, which is an area in Kenya’s famed Rift Valley region, known as one of the epicenters for the world’s best distance runners.
Authorities have indicated that the couple had been in a dispute over this property, and an investigation into the attack is underway.
Rebecca Cheptegei has had a successful athletic career, finishing 44th in the marathon at the Paris Olympics and winning gold at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
This attack on Cheptegei is not an isolated case, as there has been a rise in violence against female athletes in Kenya in recent years.
In April 2022, another runner, Damaris Mutua (who was born in Kenya but represented Bahrain internationally), was found dead in Iten, with her boyfriend identified as the main suspect. This came just months after Agnes Tirop, a record-breaking long-distance runner, was found stabbed to death in the same town, with her husband facing murder charges, which he denies.
Male athletes have also been victims of violence in Kenya. In December last year, Ugandan steeplechase runner Benjamin Kiplagat was stabbed to death by unknown attackers in Eldoret.
Cheptegei Succumbs To Injuries
Just days after the incident, on Tuesday, September 5, Cheptegei died in hospital as a result of her extensive injuries.
Kenya’s Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said in a statement, “”This tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence, which has increasingly affected even elite sports.”
Cheptegei’s father, who journalists outside the hospital interviewed, said he hopes justice is served but worries that the loss of the family’s “breadwinner” creates uncertainty around how her two young children “proceed with their education.”
