Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei Hospitalized After Alleged Fiery Attack By Boyfriend

Ugandan Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has been hospitalized with severe burns after an alleged attack by her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema Marangach. The 33-year-old athlete sustained injuries to most of her body in the incident that occurred on Sunday. Cheptegei is receiving critical care in a hospital in Eldoret, Kenya.

According to Al Jazeera, Marangach forcibly entered Cheptegei’s home while she was at church. Her parents, who were in Uganda at the time, rushed to her side upon learning of the attack. Cheptegei had recently purchased the house to benefit from nearby training facilities.

Cheptegei, who finished 44th in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics, has been competing since 2010. This attack is reminiscent of another tragic event in Kenya, where in 2021, Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop was allegedly murdered by her estranged husband, Emmanuel Ibrahim Rotich, who is currently on trial for her death.