“We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei… following a vicious attack by her boyfriend,” said the president of the Uganda Olympic Committee, Donald Rukare, 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,” he added.
The police identified the assailant as Dickson Ndiema Marangach, Cheptegei’s partner. Marangach allegedly used petrol to set Cheptegei on fire on a fateful Sunday, just weeks after she competed in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, where she finished 44th. Cheptegei sustained burns covering 80 percent of her body and had been in critical condition since the attack.
“All her organs failed last night,” a medical professional at MTRH reported to AFP on Thursday.
Kenyan media reported further details from one of Cheptegei’s daughters, who witnessed the assault. “He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother,” she said, according to Kenya’s The Standard. “I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbor who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible,” the daughter, whose name has not been disclosed, added.
Marangach also suffered burns to 30 percent of his body during the incident.The Uganda Athletics Federation echoed the sentiments of the Olympic Committee in their statement on X. “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence,” read their message. “As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace.”The tragic death of Cheptegei has further highlighted the issue of domestic violence in Kenya. This incident follows two years after the death of Kenyan-born athlete Damaris Mutua, who was found dead in Iten, a renowned running hub in the Rift Valley. Moreover, in 2021, record-breaking Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop, aged 25, was found stabbed to death at her home in Iten. Her estranged husband is currently on trial for her murder and has denied the charges.
Recent statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, published in January 2023, reveal that 34 percent of women in the country have experienced physical violence since the age of 15.
The athletics community and organizations continue to mourn the loss of Rebecca Cheptegei and call for justice against the violence that led to her untimely death.
