Rebecca Cheptegei was born in Cheminy, Uganda, on February 22, 1991. She later moved to Kenya and bought property there to be closer to athletic training centres. According to her father, Cheptegei Sr, that is where she met Dickson Ndiema Marangach, the man who is accused of torching Olympic marathon runner to death on Sept.01.
Cheptegei, 33, suffered horrendous burns to 80 per cent of her body in the attack and attempts by medical staff to save her life proved futile. She died at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret on Sept.05 due to multiple organ failure as a result of her burns.
The attack happened at her residence in Endebess, Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya. Police said her former partner doused her with petrol and set her ablaze. Her reported attacker was also hospitalised after being injured in the attack. Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah Ole Kosiom confirmed that the athlete and the man had wrangles over the plot in Kinyoro. Just hours before the Sunday ordeal, they were both reportedly appearing before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kitale over a land tussle.
The horrific incident took place just weeks after Cheptegei had taken part in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, where she placed 44th.
Rebecca Cheptegei (22 February 1991 - 5 September 2024) was a Ugandan cross country, long-distance and marathon runner, who was the national record holder in the latter discipline and a former world champion in mountain running.
She represented Uganda at several World Championships since 2010, including IAAF World Cross Country Championships, World Mountain and Trail Running Championships and World Athletics Championships.
Cheptegei had in 2023 finished second at the Firenze Marathon and 14th at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. She won the 2022 Padova Marathon and was 2nd in the 10,000 m at the Ugandan Championships in Kampala. In the same year, she set a Ugandan national record of 2:22:47 in the marathon event, and won the postponed 2021 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She ended the year with a 4th place finish in the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon. This earned her a place to represent Uganda in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
In 2024, she qualified for, and competed for Uganda at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France in the women's marathon, finishing in 44th place.
The president of the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) Donald Rukare said in a post on X: 'We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei... following a vicious attack by her boyfriend.
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'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'.
Peter Ogwang, the Minister of State for Education & Sports also said: 'I have just received disturbing news about the tragic death of Uganda's athlete Rebecca Cheptegei this morning in Kenya.
'The Kenyan authorities are investigating the circumstances under which she died and a more detailed report & program will be provided in due course.
'The long-distance runner represented us in the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics. I send my deepest condolences to the family, relatives, sports fraternity and Ugandans at large.'
