Set on fire by boyfriend, Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei dies

Rebecca Cheptegei, an Olympian from Uganada, passed away in Kenya on Thursday, four days after her boyfriend set her on fire -- according to Ugandan athletics officials.
"We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei... following a vicious attack by her boyfriend," Uganda Olympic Committee president, Donald Rukare, said in a post on X.
"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.
Kenyan police have reported that Dickson Ndiema Marangach, believed to be the partner of Cheptegei, allegedly set her on fire at her residence in Endebess, Trans-Nzoia County, on Sunday. Marangach is accused of pouring petrol on Cheptegei before igniting it.
The shocking event occurred mere weeks following Cheptegei's participation in the Paris Olympics marathon, where the 33-year-old athlete secured the 44th position.
According to the hospital's acting head, who spoke to reporters on Tuesday, Cheptegei had been battling for her life at a medical facility in Kenya since the incident, having sustained burns covering 80 percent of her body.
"All her organs failed last night," a medic at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) told AFP on Thursday.
Accrording to media reports, one of Cheptegei's daughters saw the entire incident.
"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.
Marangach too suffered 30 percent burns on his body.
"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence," the Uganda Athletics Federation said in its statement on X.
"As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace."
The incident involving Cheptegei has once again brought attention to the issue of domestic violence in Kenya.
This assault occurred just two years following the tragic death of Damaris Mutua, a Kenyan-born athlete, who was discovered lifeless in Iten, a globally renowned running center situated in the Rift Valley.
Furthermore, in 2021, Agnes Tirop, a 25-year-old Kenyan runner known for breaking records, was found stabbed to death at her home in Iten. Her estranged husband, who has denied the charges, is currently facing trial for her murder.
According to the most recent data released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics in January 2023, a staggering 34 percent of women in the nation have experienced physical violence since reaching the age of 15.