OLYMPIC RUNNER REBECCA CHEPTEGEI FINAL MOMENTS REVEALED AS 'NEIGHBOURS FLED TO HELP'' WHEN SHE WAS 'DOUSED IN PETROL AND SET ON FIRE' BY JER EX-BOYFRIEND'ON HORRIFIC ATTAC

The final moments of Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei before she was doused in petrol and set alight by her ex-partner have been revealed. 

Cheptegei, who tragically died at the age of 33 in hospital today, suffered burns to over 80% of her body in Sunday's brutal attack that was reportedly carried out by Dickson Ndiema, according to medical officials.

She was rushed to the intensive care unit at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, but the facility's acting director Dr Owen Menach confirmed Cheptegei died late last night after all her organs failed. 

She and Ndiema has been bickering over the land upon which her hose was built, local media outlets reported. 

Before the vicious attack on Sunday, neighbours heard the pair loudly arguing before he began pouring a can of petrol on her. 

After he set her alight, neighbours rushed to her aid and helped to put the horrific fire out, before they were both rushed to hospital with all-consuming injuries. 

Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said: 'The couple was heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her. The suspect was also caught by the fire and sustained serious burns.' 

Cheptegei's father, Joseph, has told journalists he has lost a daughter who was 'very supportive' and hopes to get justice.

'As it is now, the criminal who harmed my daughter is a murderer and I am yet to see what the security officials are doing,' he said. 'He is still free and might even flee.'

Cheptegei has two children, aged nine and 11, who are fathered by a different man living in Uganda.

One of Cheptegei's daughters is said to have witnessed the assault at her mother's home. She told Kenya's The Standard: 'He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother.

'I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible,' added the girl, who has not been named. 

Cheptegei's father Joseph had previously described his daughter's attacker as an 'animal' who tormented her for months before setting her ablaze.

Speaking earlier this week from hospital alongside his other daughter Evalyne Chelagat, Mr Cheptegei claimed that his daughter and Ndiema were fighting over her land at Endebes in Trans Nzoia shortly before the alleged attack occurred.

'They were just friends and I wonder why he wanted to take away things belonging to my daughter,' Cheptegei Snr told The Star.  

The athletic world has already begun mourning the loss of the Olympic athlete. 

A statement from the Ugandan Athletics Federation on social media read: 'We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest In Peace.'   

World Athletics president Lord Coe, meanwhile, pledged to look at ways to better protect female athletes. 

He said: 'Our sport has lost a talented athlete in the most tragic and unthinkable circumstances.

'Rebecca was an incredibly versatile runner who still had lots left to give on the roads, mountains and cross country trails.

'I have been in touch with our council members in Africa to see how we can help, not only in our capacity as governing body of the sport Rebecca competed in, but to assess how our safeguarding policies might be enhanced to include abuse outside of the sport, and bringing together stakeholders from all areas of athletics to combine forces to protect our female athletes to the best of our abilities from abuse of all kinds.'

Renowned athletics TV commentator Rob Walker wrote on X: 'I've witnessed great progress in East Africa over last 20 years. But the treatment of successful female athletes by jealous husbands/boyfriends must now be addressed. This is utterly appalling.'

Reported attacks on women have been on the rise in Kenya and the country's sports minister Kipchumba Murkomen added: 'This tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence, which has increasingly affected even elite sports.'

Cheptegei began her career in 2010 and was initially a 1500m runner before moving up to long distances. She finished second in the Madrid and Cantalejo half marathons in 2011.

In 2022, she won gold in the up and downhill mountain race at the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand.

Cheptegei also won the Padova marathon in Italy earlier that year, before finishing second in the Abu Dhabi marathon in 2hr 22min 47sec – the second fastest time by a female Ugandan.

She finished 14th in the marathon at last year's World Championships in Budapest, then came 44th at the Paris Olympics in 2:32:14.

Fellow Ugandan runner James Kirwa said: 'She was a very affable person. She helped us all even financially and she brought me training shoes when she came back from the Olympics. She was like an older sister to me.'

- Perkin Amalaraj

MURDERED UGANDAN OLYMPIAN REBECCA CHEPTEGEI'S FUNERAL MARCH BEGINS IN KENYA

The cortege of slain Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei leaves the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital funeral home in Eldoret, Kenya [Edwin Waita/Reuters]
 

The body of murdered Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei has begun its journey home to Uganda, accompanied by activists calling for an end to gender-based violence in Kenya.

The 33-year-old athlete succumbed to her wounds on September 5 after being attacked four days earlier by her Kenyan partner, who poured petrol over her and set her on fire.

Tt happened just weeks after she made her Olympic debut in the women’s marathon in Paris, where she finished 44th.

Her funeral is planned for Saturday in Bukwo, home to her family in Uganda, but relatives in Kenya paid their respects on Friday in the Rift Valley town of Eldoret, near where she lived.

Cheptegei is the third athlete to have died in Kenya as a result of gender-based violence since 2021, provoking a global outpouring of tributes and rage.

Family members mourn next to Cheptegei’s coffin in Eldoret, Kenya [Edwin Waita/Reuters]
 

Tony Sabila, Cheptegei’s uncle, described her as “a pillar to the family” and expressed his sadness over her loss.

As the body passed through the town of Eldoret, scores of activists lined the road with others walking alongside the hearse.

At a rally the same day, many wore white shirts with an image of Cheptegei and carried white or red roses.

Others had signs reading, “Being a woman should not be a death sentence,” and “A house where a woman is not safe is not a home.”

Cheptegei was attacked outside her house in Endebass in Kenya. Local media reported her young daughters and teenage sister witnessed the assault.

Her attacker, 32-year-old Dickson Ndiema Marangach, was also severely burned and died in hospital on Monday.

Agnes Cheptegei is assisted in Eldoret, Kenya, as she mourns her daughter and Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who died after her boyfriend doused her in petrol and set her ablaze [Edwin Waita/Reuters]
 

Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, told reporters the dispute with Marangach had been over the property where she lived with her sister and daughters. He told Kenyan media last week that Marangach had bought 5 litres (1.3 gallons) of petrol and then hid out in a chicken coop before the attack.

“He poured the petrol and lit her on fire. When she called her sister to help, he threatened her with a machete, and she ran away.”

The police said the couple had “constantly had family wrangles”.

The United Nations condemned her “violent murder” with Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, saying: “Gender-based violence is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world and should be treated as such.

Agnes Cheptegei mourns her daughter Rebecca Cheptegei [Edwin Waita/Reuters]

Throughout Kenya, 41 percent of women who have been married have experienced physical violence, compared with 20 percent of those who have not been married.

At least 500 women and girls have been murdered in Kenya since 2016, according to the UN.

Figures from UN Women Africa show that globally, there were 89,000 reports of women and girls murdered in 2022, the highest number recorded in 20 years. More than half of the women and girls were killed by intimate partners or other family members.

Kenya’s sports minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, said the Olympian’s death was a “stark reminder” that more must be done to combat gender-based violence.

 

OLYMPIC MARATHON RUNNER WHO WAS SET ON FIRE DIES IN HOSPITAL AFTER BEING VICTOM OF PETROL ATTACK

• Cheptegei, 33, suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body in the brutal attack
• Her organs failed last night and doctors were unable to save her, officials said

Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has succumbed to horrendous injuries sustained after she was doused in petrol and set alight in her home.

Cheptegei, 33, suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body in Sunday's brutal attack that was allegedly carried out by her ex-boyfriend, according to medical officials.

She was rushed to the intensive care unit at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, in the hopes doctors could stabilise her.

But the facility's acting director Dr Owen Menach this morning confirmed Cheptegei died late last night.

'Unfortunately, we lost her after all her organs failed,' Menach told Kenyan press. 

The president of the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) Donald Rukare said in a post on X today: 'We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei... following a vicious attack by her boyfriend.

'This was a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete. Her legacy will continue to endure,' he added. 

A press release from the UOC bearing Rukare's signature later urged law enforcement agencies 'to take swift and decisive action to bring the perpetrator to justice'.

The horrific incident took place just weeks after Cheptegei had taken part in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, where she placed 44th. 

Kenyan police confirmed the runner was attacked at her house in western Trans Nzoia County, close to the Ugandan border, where she had recently relocated to be closer to superior Kenyan training facilities. 

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said her former partner  Dickson Ndiema had bought a can of petrol, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement on Sunday.

Police discovered a five-litre jerry can, a bag, and a burned phone at the scene of the incident, according to Kenyan newspaper The Nation.

Rebecca's father Joseph Cheptegei, speaking earlier this week from hospital alongside his other daughter Evalyne Chelagat, claimed that the two were fighting over her land at Endebes in Trans Nzoia shortly before the alleged attack occurred. 

'They were just friends and I wonder why he wanted to take away things belonging to my daughter,' Cheptegei Snr told The Star, revealing also that his daughter's two children are fathered by a different man living in Uganda.

He went on to claim that Cheptegei and Ndiema — who he alleges have been separated for a long time — are involved in a case being investigated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kenya.

According to Cheptegei Snr and Police Commander Kosiom, the ex-boyfriend sneaked into his daughter's home to stage the attack.

'The boyfriend is believed to have sneaked into the compound at around 2pm on Sunday while the wife and the children were in Church,' Kosiom said, as per the Kenyan newspaper The Standard. 

'Upon returning, Dickson, who had procured petrol, began pouring it on Rebecca before he set her ablaze.

'The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her. 

'The suspect was also caught by the fire and sustained serious burns.'

According to Menach, the alleged ex-boyfriend attacker has also been admitted to the same hospital with 30 per cent burns.

A press release from the UOC bearing President Donald Rukare's signature urged law enforcement agencies 'to take swift and decisive action to bring the perpetrator to justice'

Meanwhile, Kenyan media reported that one of Cheptegei's daughters witnessed the assault at her mother's home.

'He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother,' Kenya's The Standard reported her as saying.

'I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible,' said the girl, who has not been named.

The Uganda Athletics Federation also reported Cheptegei's death and paid tribute to their athlete in a statement on X.

'We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence,' it said.

'As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace.'

The fatal assault on Cheptegei comes two years after Kenyan-born athlete Damaris Mutua was found dead in Iten, a world-famous running hub in the Rift Valley.

And in 2021, record-breaking Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop, 25, was found stabbed to death at her home in Iten in October 2021. 

The promising young runner, who had won 10,000m bronze medals in two consecutive World Championships and came fourth in the 5000m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was found dead at her home in near Eldoret on October 13, 2021 in a pool of her own blood.

A coroner ruled she had died as a result of the massive blood loss from a series of savage stab wounds to her neck and abdomen.

The horrific discovery prompted authorities to launch a manhunt for her husband, Ibrahim Rotich.

He was detained hours later after a breathless late-night chase which only ended when the fleeing Rotich slammed his vehicle into a lorry as he sought to escape several police cars bearing down on him. 

Rotich is now on trial for the murder of his wife Tirop - a charge he denies. 

The trial only got underway in November last year, more than two years after Tirop's death, following a court's decision to release Rotich on bail following a lengthy period of detention.  

Everlyne Jepngetich, Tirop's younger sister, told the court late last year the deceased had suffered significant abuse at the hands of her husband and said she came home hours before the murder to find her sister had been badly beaten.

Latest figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics published in January 2023 found that 34 per cent of women in the country had experienced physical violence since the age of 15.

- David Averre and Michael Pavitt

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