Woman athlete from Uganda targeted in deadly arson attack by her partner following her participation at the Paris Olympics

Rebecca Cheptegei, a Ugandan athlete living in Kenya, was set on fire by her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, during a disagreement in her home in western Trans Nzoia County. Cheptegei, who represented Uganda in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, suffered 75% burns and is receiving specialised treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. Ndiema also sustained burn wounds in the incident. The couple was reportedly fighting over land where Cheptegei had built a house in the county close to athletic training centers. This tragic incident is not the first involving violence against athletes in the region. In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead with stab wounds, and Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was found dead in 2022 with signs of strangulation. The police commander in Trans Nzoia indicated that investigations into the motive behind the attack on Cheptegei are ongoing. This disturbing incident highlights the vulnerability of athletes, particularly women, to violence and the need for increased awareness and support for their safety and well-being.

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