Rebecca Cheptegei, an Olympic marathon runner, is fighting for her life after reportedly being set on fire by her boyfriend in a horrific attack. Cheptegei, who represented Uganda in the women’s marathon at the Paris 2024 Games and finished 44th, is in critical condition after suffering burns to over 75% of her body.
The attack occurred outside her home in Kenya, following an argument with her boyfriend over the land where her home was built. Jeremiah ole Kosiom, Trans Nzoia County’s police commander, confirmed that Cheptegei’s partner had purchased a can of petrol, poured it on her, and set her ablaze during the altercation.
“The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her,” Kosiom told the Standard newspaper in Kenya. He also reported that the suspect was caught in the fire and sustained serious burns.
Cheptegei, 33, was rescued by neighbors and, along with her attacker, was taken to Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret, where she remains in critical condition.
The Ugandan Athletics Federation announced the attack on social media, expressing their sorrow over the incident. “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,” the federation said in a statement. “This follows an incident involving her Kenyan boyfriend pouring petrol and setting fire to her.”
Cheptegei, who also won the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand in 2022, is the latest victim in a series of violent attacks against female athletes in Kenya.
In October 2021, Agnes Tirop, a two-time world 10km bronze medallist and fourth-place finisher in the 5,000m at the Tokyo Olympics, was found stabbed to death in Iten. In April 2022, Damaris Mutua, who competed for Bahrain, was discovered strangled with a pillow over her face in the same town.