International Courant
A sports activities venue in Paris can be named after Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who died after her ex-boyfriend allegedly set her on hearth, the mayor of the French capital has introduced.
The 33-year-old mom died on Thursday from extreme burns after her ex-partner doused her with petrol and set her on hearth outdoors her dwelling in northwestern Kenya on Sunday.
Police in western Kenya have advised the BBC they’re treating Cheptegei’s dying as homicide. They beforehand mentioned there was an investigation underway.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo mentioned opening a sports activities venue in honour of Cheptegei would be certain that “her reminiscence and her story stay amongst us”.
Cheptegei competed within the Olympic marathon in Paris and completed forty fourth in a time of two hours, 32 minutes and 14 seconds.
Ms Hidalgo advised reporters the runner “amazed us” on the Olympic Video games within the French capital, including that “Paris is not going to overlook her”.
“We noticed her. Her magnificence, her power, her freedom, and it was in all chance her magnificence, power and freedom that was insufferable for the one who dedicated this homicide,” she mentioned.
“We’ll dedicate a sports activities venue to her in order that her reminiscence and her story stay with us and we are able to unfold the message of equality that’s conveyed by the Olympic and Paralympic Video games.”
Joan Chelimo, a fellow athlete of Cheptegei, mentioned ladies have to “come collectively” after the incident.
“I knew Rebecca as an individual: we had been on the Olympics collectively in Paris. She was a mom, she had labored exhausting to be on the Olympics,” she advised BBC Radio 4’s Girl’s Hour.
“She was the breadwinner of her household and you may think about that different ladies appeared as much as her.”
Ms Chelimo added: “We nonetheless hope, and attempt to hope, that the perpetrators can be held accountable for his or her crimes.”
On the age of 19, Cheptegei first represented Uganda in an under-20 race on the 2010 World Cross Nation Championships. She later moved on to longer highway races and made her marathon debut in 2021.
The next yr she ran a private finest of two hours, 22 minutes and 47 seconds, making her the second-fastest Ugandan lady of all time.
Cheptegei was capable of help her household with the revenue she earned from operating.
Ms Chelimo mentioned she thinks some males really feel “intimidated” by feminine athletes who “transcend the standard norms that males need to ship every part”.
“They’re turning into extra financially steady, they’re turning into extra unbiased and I feel their ex-partners do not like the truth that we have gotten unbiased. We’re making our voices heard extra.”
A report from a neighborhood administrator revealed that the athlete and her ex-partner had been arguing over a chunk of land.
Assaults on ladies have turn into a serious downside in Kenya, with a minimum of 34% of ladies saying that they had skilled bodily violence in 2022, in response to a nationwide survey.
“Extra must be achieved,” Ms. Chelimo mentioned. “We actually hope that that is one other wake-up name and that we come collectively.”
Paris honors Ugandan Olympian set on hearth by ex-boyfriend
World Information,Subsequent Large Factor in Public Knowledg
