A Ugandan Olympic marathon runner, Rebecca Cheptegei, has died following an alleged attack by her boyfriend, according to the head of Uganda’s Olympic Committee.
The 33-year-old athlete reportedly suffered severe burns after being doused in petrol and set on fire by her boyfriend in Kenya earlier this week.
Cheptegei, who competed in the Paris Olympics, was burned over more than 75 percent of her body. This tragic event marks her as the third female athlete to be killed in Uganda since October 2021.
The president of the Uganda Olympic Committee expressed deep sorrow over Cheptegei’s death, condemning the violence against women. “We have learned of the sad passing of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei following a vicious attack by her boyfriend,” the president said in a statement on X. “May her gentle soul rest in peace. This cowardly and senseless act has led to the loss of a great athlete. Her legacy will endure.”
Cheptegei, who finished 44th in Paris, had been residing in Kenya, where she trained.
