Uganda: The Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died at a Kenyan hospital after being set on fire by her boyfriend in Kenya.
“We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, following a vicious attack by her boyfriend,” Donald Rukare said 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.”
According to police, a man identified as Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, had quarrel with her and during the altercation, he doused her with petrol and set her on fire on Sunday at her home in Endebess in the western county of Trans-Nzoia.
The incident took place just weeks after Cheptegei, 33, had taken part in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, where she was placed 44th.
Cheptegei suffered burns to 80 percent of her body in the attack, the acting head of the facility told reporters on Tuesday.
“All her organs failed last night,” a medic at the facility, the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), told AFP on Thursday.
A nurse who had been treating Cheptegei said she died at 5:00 am (0200 GMT).
Kenyan media had reported that one of Cheptegei’s daughters witnessed the assault at her mother’s home.