by Olympic marathoner Rebecca Cheptegei is fighting for her life after her boyfriend allegedly poured gasoline on her and set her on fire.
Cheptegei, who finished 44th competing for Uganda in the women’s race at the 2024 Paris Games, is in critical condition after suffering burns to more than 75% of her body following the attack outside her home in Kenya .
Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said Cheptegei’s partner bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her and set her on fire after a disagreement over the land where her house was built.
-
Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play Store on Android by searching for “The Guardian”.
-
If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re using the most recent version.
-
In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.
-
Turn on sports notifications.
“The couple was heard arguing outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring liquid on the woman before burning her,” he told the Standard newspaper in Kenya. “The suspect was also hit by the fire and was seriously burned.”
Cheptegei, 33, was reportedly rescued by neighbors before she and her attacker were taken to Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
The Uganda Athletics Federation also reported the attack on social media.
“We regret to announce that our athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who participated in the Olympic Games, suffered serious injuries and is hospitalized at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret,” the statement said. “This follows an incident where her Kenyan boyfriend poured petrol on her and set her on fire.”
Cheptegei, who won the mountain race at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand, is the latest victim of attacks on female athletes in Kenya.
In October 2021, Agnès Tirop, a two-time world 10km bronze medalist who also finished fourth in the 5,000m at the Tokyo Olympics, was found stabbed to death in Iten.
In April 2022, Damaris Mutua, who was competing for Bahrain, was found strangled with a pillow over her face in the same city.
