Tragedy Strikes Again: Ugandan Olympic Star Rebecca Cheptegei Dies After Horrific Attack
The world of sports is in mourning yet again. Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei tragically lost her life, days after a brutal attack allegedly carried out by her boyfriend. The shocking incident has not only shaken Uganda and Kenya, where she lived but has sent ripples of grief across the globe.
Cheptegei, who competed in the Paris Olympics just weeks ago, succumbed to injuries after suffering burns on 75% of her body. Her death was confirmed on Thursday by the Kenyan Olympic Team on X (formerly Twitter). Days prior, her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, reportedly doused her in petrol and set her on fire after a land dispute. The attack took place at her home in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya. Ndiema, who also sustained burns, is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Eldoret.
Paris Pays Tribute
As news of her death spread, the Paris Games took a solemn moment to honour Cheptegei during the 2024 Paralympics. A eulogy was played on Sunday following the T54 and T12 marathon races, with Cheptegei’s photo displayed on the giant screen near the finish line at Esplanades des Invalides. The crowd joined in a minute’s applause, paying their respects to a runner whose life was cut short by violence.
Marcel Hug, a Swiss wheelchair racer who claimed his third consecutive T54 marathon gold, spoke with emotion. “It’s terrible, and we should really try to avoid violence like this,” he said. “I didn’t personally know her, but she was a good person, and it’s so sad. It’s a good opportunity to think of her here at the Paralympics. We should send a message out against violence like this.”
His fellow Swiss athlete, Catherine Debrunner, echoed his sentiments after winning her first Paralympic T54 marathon gold. “I don’t really have the words for it. We should not take for granted what we can do here.”
A Growing Pattern of Violence
Cheptegei’s tragic death marks the third time in three years that an elite female athlete has been killed in Kenya. In 2021, Olympic runner Agnes Tirop was found dead with stab wounds in her neck, allegedly murdered by her husband. Months later, Damaris Mutua, another Kenyan athlete, was found strangled, her boyfriend being the prime suspect.
These chilling patterns have cast a dark shadow over the lives of women in sports, igniting calls for stronger action against domestic violence. As Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced plans to honour Cheptegei by naming a sports facility after her, the gesture serves as a reminder of the need for deeper societal change.
As the sports world grapples with yet another devastating loss, one message rings clear: more must be done to protect the lives of these remarkable women—both on and off the track.
