Rebecca Cheptegi, who competed for Uganda in the Paris Olympics, is in critical condition in a Kenyan hospital after suffering burns after a man poured gasoline on her and set her on fire on Sunday, according to police.
Cheptegi, 33, suffered burns to 80 percent of her body and was rushed to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in the city of Eldoret, Kenya.
Police in Kitale, Kenya said that Cheptegi was attacked by a man who she was reportedly in a relationship with. The man, identified as Dickson Ndiema, allegedly entered Cheptegi’s home unannounced with a container, poured gasoline and set her on fire. Ndiema was also injured in the fire and sustained burns to 30 percent of his body, according to Jeremiah Ole Kosiom who is the commander of the Trans Nzoia County Police in Kitale.
Neighbors said they heard an argument before the fire started and Cheptegei had previously filed a police report against Ndiema during an ongoing property dispute according to her father Joseph Cheptegei.
The home in Trans-Nzoia County is near the Ugandan border and Cheptegei built her home on the property after buying the land.
Cheptegi ran in the marathon for Uganda in the Paris Games in August. She finished 44th in 2:32:14, her season’s best but ran her personal best in 2022 at the Abu Dhabi Marathon in 2:22:47.
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