Uganda: Rebecca Cheptegei in a critical condition after being set alight by her former partner

The details are chilling. Rebecca Cheptegei is currently in hospital in Kenya. The Ugandan athlete has burns covering more than 75% of her body, Kenyan police have said. The marathon runner was doused in petrol and then set on fire by her former partner. The alleged culprit, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, "poured petrol on Rebecca before setting her alight", according to AFP, which cites the police report. The suspect is said to have broken into the athlete's home in Trans-Nzoia County, in the town of Endebess, on Sunday. He then waited for her to return from church with her children before carrying out the attack.

Police chief Jeremiah ole Kosiom gave the first details of the investigation. "The couple were heard arguing outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid over the woman before setting her on fire". It should be noted that her partner, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, also has burns and has been admitted to hospital.

Rebecca Cheptegei recently took part in the marathon at the Paris Olympic Games, where she finished 44th. She also won the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022. It is worth noting that it was in the same town of Endebess that the athlete Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death by her husband in October 2021. In April 2022, the athlete Damaris Mutua was murdered in the town of Iten, in the Rift Valley.

We regret to announce that our athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who competed at the Olympics has suffered severe injuries and is hospitalized at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. This follows an incident involving her Kenyan boyfriend pouring petrol and setting fire on her pic.twitter.com/rgnWvgTpkb

— Uganda Athletics Federation (@UgaAthletics2) September 3, 2024