Current:Home > ScamsUgandan Olympic athlete dies after being severely burned by her partner over a land dispute -Finovate
Ugandan Olympic athlete dies after being severely burned by her partner over a land dispute
View
Date:2025-04-27 15:24:09
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died at a Kenyan hospital where she was being treated after 80% of her body was burned in an attack by her partner. She was 33.
A spokesperson at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret city, Owen Menach, confirmed Cheptegei’s death on Thursday. Menach said the long-distance runner died early in the morning after her organs failed. She had been fully sedated on admission at the hospital.
Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics less than a month before the attack. She finished in 44th place.
Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, told journalists at the hospital that he had lost a daughter who was “very supportive” and hopes to get justice.
Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said Monday that Cheptegei’s partner, Dickson Ndiema, bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement Sunday. Ndiema was also burned and was being treated at the same hospital.
Menach said Ndiema was still in the intensive care unit with burns over 30% of his body but was “improving and stable.”
Cheptegei’s parents said their daughter bought land in Trans Nzoia to be near the county’s many athletic training centers. A report filed by the local chief said the two were heard fighting over the land where her house was built before the attack.
The Uganda Athletics Federation eulogized Cheptegei on the social platform X, writing, “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.”
Uganda Olympic Committee President Donald Rukare called the attack “a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.”
In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner and steeplechaser Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead with stab wounds. In 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was found dead and a postmortem report stated that she was strangled. In 2021, long distance runner Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death at her home. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was arrested and charged with murder, the case is ongoing.
veryGood! (53)
Related
- Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
- Global Warming Is Destabilizing Mountain Slopes, Creating Landslide Risks
- Donald Trump’s Record on Climate Change
- Transcript: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum on Face the Nation, June 11, 2023
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Tracy Anderson Reveals Jennifer Lopez's Surprising Fitness Mindset
- Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis Share Update on Freaky Friday Sequel
- Brothers Forever: The Making of Paul Walker and Vin Diesel's Fast Friendship
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- American life expectancy is now at its lowest in nearly two decades
Ranking
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- Michigan 2-year-old dies in accidental shooting at home
- Cyberattacks on hospitals thwart India's push to digitize health care
- Today’s Climate: September 7, 2010
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Selling Sunset's Maya Vander Welcomes Baby Following Miscarriage and Stillbirth
- Mother’s Day Last-Minute Gifts: Coach, Sephora, Nordstrom & More With Buy Now, Pick Up In Store
- Person of interest named in mass shooting during San Francisco block party that left nine people wounded
Recommendation
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
Popular COVID FAQs in 2022: Outdoor risks, boosters, 1-way masking, faint test lines
Clean Energy May Backslide in Pennsylvania but Remains Intact in Colorado
1 person dead after tour boat capsizes inside cave along the Erie Canal
Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
Blac Chyna Reflects on Her Past Crazy Face Months After Removing Fillers
Shop the Best Lululemon Deals: $78 Tank Tops for $29, $39 Biker Shorts & More
Editors' picks: Our best global photos of 2022 range from heart-rending to hopeful