Rebecca Cheptegei: Olympics marathon runner dies after being ‘set on fire by boyfriend’

The Olympic runner allegedly doused with petrol and set on fire by her boyfriend has died, it has been announced.

Rebecca Cheptegei, a mother-of-two, suffered total organ failure after burns to 80 per cent of her body, according to the hospital treating her.

“Unfortunately, we lost her after all her organs failed last night,” Dr Owen Menach, acting director of the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, was quoted as saying by the country’s The Star newspaper.

The Uganda Athletics Federation posted on X: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace.”

Donald Rukare, president of the Uganda Olympic Committee, wrote: “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 great athlete. Her legacy will continue to endure.”

The alleged attacker also sustained serious burns in the incident at Cheptegei’s home in western Kenya, local police chief Jeremiah ole Kosiom told journalists after the pair were admitted to hospital.

“The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her,” Kosiom was quoted as saying.

Cheptegei, 33, was said to have been rescued by neighbours in the small town of Endebess.

The athlete, who was born in and competes for neighbouring Uganda, is said to have bought a piece of land in Trans Nzoia county and built a house, to be near Kenya’s many athletic training centres.

A report filed by a local administrator said she and her attacker had been wrangling over the piece of land.

The attack occurred exactly three weeks after Cheptegei finished 44th in the Olympic marathon.

She previously won gold at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The attack on her is the latest against a female athlete in Kenya, some of which have been fatal.

In April 2022, fellow runner Damaris Mutua was found strangled in a home with a pillow over her face in the Rift Valley town of Iten.

It came months after record-breaking long-distance runner Agnes Tirop was found stabbed to death in the same town.

Men have also been targeted, with Uganda’s Benjamin Kiplagat stabbed to death by assailants in Eldoret in December.

Figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics published in January 2023 found that 34 percent of women in the country had experienced physical violence since the age of 15.

Lord Coe pledges to ‘protect women athletes’ in wake of Rebecca Cheptegei tragedy

By Jeremy Wilson

World Athletics has pledged to investigate how it can protect female athletes from abuse following the death of Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei.

The Ugandan, who competed at the recent Paris Olympics and also the World Championships last year, was allegedly doused in petrol and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend at her home in Western Kenya on Sunday.

Lord Coe, the World Athletics president, said: “Our sport has lost a talented athlete in the most tragic and unthinkable circumstances.

“Rebecca was an incredibly versatile runner who still had lots left to give on the roads, mountains and cross-country trails.”

He added: “I have been in touch with our council members in Africa to see how we can help, not only in our capacity as governing body of the sport Rebecca competed in, but to assess how our safeguarding policies might be enhanced to include abuse outside of the sport, and bringing together stakeholders from all areas of athletics to combine forces to protect our female athletes to the best of our abilities from abuse of all kinds.”

‘Urgent need to combat gender-based violence’

“This tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence, which has increasingly affected even elite sports,” Kenya’s sports minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, said.

Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, said: “We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn about Rebecca Cheptegei’s death following the horrible attack against her. Rebecca’s participation in the Paris 2024 women’s marathon was a source of inspiration, pride and joy. Our hearts and thoughts go out to her family, in particular her children, her friends and the Olympic community in Uganda.”

Eilish McColgan, who is the British record holder over both 5,000 and 10,000 metres, described the news as “heartbreaking”. She added: “Even more heartbreaking that it’s not the first time the athletics community has lost such an incredible female athlete to domestic violence. It needs to stop. RIP Rebecca.”

African Women Rights Advocates called for urgent action. “No woman should lose her life in such a way,” it said a statement. “As we mourn this incredible athlete, we call for justice and renewed urgency in the fight against gender-based violence.”

World Athletics commentator Rob Walker, who has spent time in Africa over recent years, wrote on X: ‘I’ve witnessed great progress in East Africa over the last 20 years. But the treatment of successful female athletes by jealous husbands/boyfriends must now be addressed. This is utterly appalling.”

A report filed by a local administrator said Cheptegei and the attacker had been wrangling over a piece of land in Trans Nzoia county. Cheptegei, who finished 14th in the marathon World Championship and 44th at the Olympics, was also a trail running world champion in 2022. She had moved to Kenya to be close to the many elite athletics training groups.