Ugandan Olympian Cheptegei dies after being set on hearth by his good friend | Olympic Information

International Courant

Marathon runner Cheptegei died on the age of 33 from multi-organ failure after struggling 80 p.c burns when her boyfriend poured gasoline on her and set her on hearth in Kenya.

Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died 4 days after she was set on hearth by her boyfriend, Uganda’s Olympic president mentioned.

“We now have discovered of the unhappy passing of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei… after a violent assault by her boyfriend,” Uganda Olympic Committee President Donald Rukare mentioned in a message on X on Thursday.

The 33-year-old died from burns she suffered when her boyfriend poured gasoline on her and set her on hearth in Kenya.

Rukare known as the incident a “cowardly and mindless act” and mentioned the nation had been robbed of a “nice athlete” in consequence.

“Her legacy will dwell on,” he added.

Cheptegei had burns over three-quarters of her physique, the appearing director of the Moi Educating and Referral Hospital (MTRH) within the Rift Valley city of Eldoret, the place she was being handled, informed reporters on Tuesday.

She died Thursday morning from a number of organ failure, hospital officers confirmed to native media.

In accordance with Owen Menach, director of medical providers at Moi Educating and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Cheptegei succumbed to multi-organ failure after struggling 80 p.c burns from the assault. She was admitted to the MTRH Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Monday.

Police recognized the suspect as her associate, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, who mentioned he doused Cheptegei with petrol and set her alight at her dwelling in Endebess in Trans-Nzoia Western Province on Sunday.

The incident occurred simply weeks after Cheptegei competed within the ladies’s marathon on the Paris Olympics, the place she completed forty fourth.

The Ugandan Olympic Committee known as for swift motion in a press release confirming Cheptegei’s dying.

“We urge the related regulation enforcement companies to take swift and decisive motion to carry the perpetrator to justice for this cowardly and deplorable act.”

Cheptegei started her profession in 2010, representing Uganda in a number of long-distance races. Her first Olympic participation was on the Paris Video games.

Her dad and mom traveled to Trans-Nzoia and informed native media that their daughter had purchased land within the Kenyan province and constructed a home the place she may keep for her schooling.

She met Ndiema in Trans-Nzoia and the assault stemmed from a dispute over the home she owned, in line with a report in The Normal newspaper.

Kenyan media reported that certainly one of Cheptegei’s daughters witnessed the assault at her mom’s home.

“He kicked me whereas I used to be attempting to save lots of my mom,” Kenyan newspaper The Normal quoted her as saying.

“I instantly known as for assist and acquired the eye of a neighbor who tried to place out the flames with water, however he could not,” mentioned the lady, whose title was not launched.

Marangach was additionally injured within the incident. He suffered 30 p.c burns on his physique.

The assault got here two years in the past after Kenyan-born athlete Damaris Mutua was discovered lifeless in Iten, a world-famous working centre within the Rift Valley.

And in 2021, record-breaking Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop, 25, was discovered stabbed to dying in her Iten dwelling in 2021. Her estranged husband is on trial for her homicide. He denies the fees.

Ugandan Olympian Cheptegei dies after being set on hearth by his good friend | Olympic Information

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