Ugandan Olympic Runner Rebecca Cheptegei Dies After Alleged Assault by Boyfriend
Ugandan marathon runner and Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei has tragically passed away following an alleged attack by her boyfriend, the Uganda Olympic Committee confirmed on Thursday.
The 33-year-old athlete reportedly succumbed to injuries sustained after being doused in petrol and set on fire in Kenya on Sunday. Cheptegei, who participated in the Paris Olympics, suffered burns covering over 75 percent of her body, according to media reports from both Uganda and Kenya.
The incident marks the third time a female athlete has been killed in Uganda since October 2021.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei following a brutal attack by her boyfriend,” the president of Uganda’s Olympic Committee shared in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Her legacy as a great athlete will endure. We strongly condemn this cowardly and senseless act of violence against women. May her soul rest in peace.”
Cheptegei, who placed 44th in the Paris Olympics, had a residence in Kenya where she often stayed while training.
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