Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei is in critical condition at a Kenyan hospital after allegedly being doused with petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend.
The 33-year-old athlete, who recently competed in the Paris Olympics, suffered burns covering more than 75% of her body, according to police reports.
The attack occurred at Cheptegei’s home in Endebess, a small town in western Kenya, where she had been training. Neighbors reportedly rescued her after the incident on Sunday. The alleged attacker, who also sustained serious burns, is currently receiving treatment alongside Cheptegei at Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret, the region’s main medical facility.
Local police chief Jeremiah ole Kosiom revealed that the couple had been heard arguing outside their home before the attack. Witnesses saw the man pouring a liquid on Cheptegei and setting her on fire. The altercation is believed to have been related to a dispute over a piece of land Cheptegei had purchased in Trans Nzoia County, where she had built a house to be near Kenya’s athletic training centers.
Cheptegei, who hails from a region just across the Ugandan border, finished 44th in the marathon at the recent Paris Olympics. She is also a gold medalist from the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022.
This incident has sparked growing concern over the rising cases of violence against female athletes in Kenya, some of which have resulted in deaths. In April 2022, another female runner, Damaris Mutua, was found strangled with a pillow over her face in Iten, a town in the Rift Valley. This came just months after record-breaking long-distance runner Agnes Tirop was discovered stabbed to death in the same town.
Male athletes have also been victims of violence. Last December, Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat was stabbed to death by assailants in Eldoret. The police have launched an investigation into the attack on Cheptegei, as the issue of athlete safety in the region continues to escalate.
