Rebecca Cheptegei, an Olympic marathoner for Uganda who competed within the 2024 Paris Olympics, tragically handed away on Thursday morning after reportedly being set on fireplace by her former boyfriend in Kenya. She was 33.
On behalf of #TeamKenya we prolong our deepest condolences to the Ugandan sports activities neighborhood, household, and pals of Rebecca Cheptegei.
Rebecca’s expertise, and perseverance as Uganda’s Girls’s Marathon file holder and a Paris 2024 Olympian will at all times be remembered and celebrated.… pic.twitter.com/k3hNYB9WOP
— TeamKenya (@OlympicsKe) September 5, 2024
In accordance with the Kenyan newspaper Nation, Owen Menach, the Director of Medical Providers and Surgical procedure at Moi Educating and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, confirmed that Cheptegei died round 5 a.m. native time on account of “full organ failure.” This adopted a horrific assault by her boyfriend at her house in Kenya on Sunday, which left her with burns protecting 75 per cent of her physique. She was admitted to the hospital in important situation.
The alleged attacker, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, was additionally injured by the flames and is at present hospitalized. Neighbours reportedly overheard the couple arguing outdoors the home shortly earlier than the assault. Each Cheptegei and Marangach have been rescued from the hearth by neighbours.
The Uganda Athletics Federation led tributes to Cheptegei on X (previously Twitter), posting: “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.”
BREAKING NEWS💔💔
We’re deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell sufferer to home violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and name for justice. Could her soul relaxation In Peace. pic.twitter.com/ZdxmZ3wDuE— UGANDA ATHLETICS FEDERATION🇺🇬🇺🇬 UAF (@UgaAthletics2) September 5, 2024
Cheptegei completed forty fourth within the marathon on the 2024 Paris Olympics in August and beforehand gained gold on the World Mountain and Path Operating Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022. She had a marathon finest of two:22:47.
Tragically, this isn’t the primary occasion of home violence involving elite feminine athletes in East Africa. In 2021, Kenya’s two-time 10,000m world championship bronze medallist, Agnes Tirop, was discovered stabbed to dying by her husband at their house in Iten, Kenya. Tirop’s husband, Emmanuel Ibrahim Kipleting, was arrested after fleeing Iten and located a whole lot of kilometres away. She was 25 on the time of her dying