Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has been confirmed dead.
According to official communication from the head of the country’s Olympics committee, the runner died on Thursday 5 September following dousing in petrol and setting on fire by her boyfriend.
“We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei … following a vicious attack by her boyfriend,” Donald Rukare, president of Uganda Olympics Committee, said in a post on X.
While condemning what he termed as violence against women, Rukare extended his heartfelt condolences to the family and regretted the untimely death of one of Uganda’s greatest runners.
“May her gentle soul rest in peace and we strongly condemn violence against women. This was a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete. Her legacy will continue to endure.”
Cheptegei, 33, who competed in the Paris Olympics, suffered burns to more than 75% of her body in the attack in Kenya on Sunday, making her the third female athlete to be killed in the country since October 2021.
The runner who finished 44th in Paris, had a house in Kenya where she stayed when she trained in the country.
