After suffering serious burns during a petrol assault, an Olympic athlete from Uganda passes away.

Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei of Uganda passed away in a Kenyan hospital while receiving treatment following her partner’s attack that resulted in 80% of her body being burnt. Her age was 33.

Owen Menach, a spokesman at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret City, verified Cheptegei’s passing on Thursday. Menach reported that the long-distance runner’s organs failed early in the morning, resulting in her death. She had been admitted to the hospital completely drugged.

Less than two months before to the incident, Cheptegei was a competitor in the women’s marathon at the Olympics in Paris. She came in at number 44.

At the hospital, her father, Joseph Cheptegei, expressed his desire for justice and that he had lost a daughter who was “very supportive.”

Following a dispute on Sunday, Dickson Ndiema, Cheptegei’s boyfriend, bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her, and lit her on fire, according to Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah Ole Kosiom, who made this announcement on Monday. Ndiema was receiving care at the same hospital after suffering burns as well.

Ndiema, according to Menach, was “improving and stable” despite still being in the intensive care unit and having burns over 30% of his body.

Cheptegei’s parents say their daughter purchased land in Trans Nzoia in order to be close to the several sports training facilities in the area. Prior to the attack, the two were heard fighting over the property where her house was erected, according to a report submitted by the local chief.

On the social media site X, the Uganda Athletics Federation paid tribute to Cheptegei, stating, “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically fell victim to domestic violence, early this morning.” We, the federation, denounce these actions and demand justice. May peace be upon her soul.

Donald Rukare, the president of the Uganda Olympic Committee, described the incident as “a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.”

In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner and steeplechaser Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead with stab wounds. In 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was found dead and a postmortem report stated that she was strangled. In 2021, long distance runner Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death at her home. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was arrested and charged with murder, the case is ongoing.