International Courant
NAIROBI, Kenya — Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died in a Kenyan hospital the place she was being handled after 80% of her physique was burned in a assault by her associate. She was 33.
A spokesman for Moi Educating and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Owen Menach, confirmed Cheptegei’s demise on Thursday. Menach mentioned the long-distance runner died early within the morning after her organs failed. She was fully sedated when she was admitted to the hospital.
Cheptegei took half within the girls’s marathon on the Olympic Video games in Paris lower than a month earlier than the assault. She completed in forty fourth place.
Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, informed reporters on the hospital that he had misplaced a daughter who was “very supportive” of him and that he hoped justice could be executed.
Trans Nzoia County police commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom mentioned on Monday that Cheptegei’s associate Dickson Ndiema purchased a can of petrol, threw it on her and set her alight throughout a dispute on Sunday. Ndiema was additionally burnt and was handled on the identical hospital.
Menach mentioned Ndiema was nonetheless in intensive care with burns over 30% of his physique, however was “enhancing and steady.”
Cheptegei’s dad and mom mentioned their daughter purchased land in Trans Nzoia to be close to the county’s many athletic coaching centres. A report from the native chief mentioned the 2 have been heard preventing over the land the place her home had been constructed earlier than the assault.
The Uganda Athletics Federation has praised Cheptegei on social media platform X, writing: “We’re deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically fell sufferer to home violence early this morning. As a federation, we condemn such acts and name for justice. Could her soul relaxation in peace.”
Ugandan Olympic Committee president Donald Rukare referred to as the assault “a cowardly and mindless act that has resulted within the lack of a terrific athlete.”
In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner and steeplechaser Benjamin Kiplagat was discovered useless with stab woundsIn 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was discovered useless and an post-mortem report acknowledged that she had been strangled. In 2021, long-distance runner Agnes Tirop was stabbed to demise in her residence. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was arrested and charged with homicide, the case is ongoing.
