The Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who participated in the women’s marathon at the last Olympic Games held in Paris, died in the hospital in Kenya. According to Agerpres, the athlete was hospitalized after being attacked by her boyfriend, who doused her with gasoline and set her on fire.
Rebecca Cheptegei. PHOTO: Facebook
“Unfortunately, I lost her after all her organs failed last night”, said Dr. Owen Menach, acting director of the Moi University Hospital in Eldoret, western Kenya, quoted by local media.
The Ugandan Athletics Federation (UAF) confirmed the death of the 33-year-old athlete.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptega, this morning, who was tragically a victim of domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and demand justice. May her soul rest in peace“, stated the UAF in a statement.
The tragedy happened last Sunday in the Kenyan Trans Nzoia district (west), from where the athlete was urgently transported to the hospital in Eldoret with burns on 80% of her body. The alleged attacker, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, also suffered serious burns on 30% of his body and is admitted to the same hospital.
On Sunday, Marangach sneaked into Cheptegei’s house with a five-liter can filled with gasoline, according to the police. The athlete had gone to church with her children and, when she returned, the man threw fuel on her and set her on fire.
The athlete’s parents, Joseph Cheptegei and Agnes Ndiema, indicated that their daughter, a resident of Uganda, bought land in the Kenyan district and built a house where she lived during her training.
The Kenyan government had announced on Wednesday that it intends to transfer the athlete to Nairobi to receive specialized medical treatment, given her critical condition.
Rebecca Cheptegei, who has been racing since 2010, competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics where she finished 44th.
