Ugandan Olympic athlete dies after being set ablaze by boyfriend

A Ugandan athlete living in Kenya, Rebecca Cheptegei, has died from severe burns received after being set ablaze by her boyfriend.

Cheptegei, a distance runner who finished 44th in the 2024 Paris Olympics, was attacked in her home in Trans Nzoia County.

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom stated that the incident occurred during a dispute on Sunday.

Cheptegei’s boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, allegedly purchased a jerrican of petrol, poured it on the Ugandan athlete, and set her on fire. Ndiema also sustained burns during the attack. Both Cheptegei and Ndiema are currently receiving specialized care at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

Cheptegei’s parents mentioned that their daughter had purchased land in Trans Nzoia to be close to the county’s athletic training centers. A report from the local chief indicated that the couple was heard arguing about the land before the fire broke out.

This incident follows other tragic events involving athletes in the region. In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead with stab wounds, and in 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was discovered dead, with a postmortem revealing that she had been strangled.

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