Slain Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei emerged from her home on fire screaming for help – before her attacker ran out after her to douse her with yet more petrol, a horrified eyewitness has claimed.
Cheptegei, 33, tragically died of multiple organ failure last week in a hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, days after she suffered 80% burns when a man reported to be her ex-boyfriend threw petrol on her and set her alight amid a bitter argument.
Neighbours who heard the commotion came running to discover the Olympian engulfed in flames and tried to extinguish them, to no avail.
But now an eyewitness has recounted in gruesome detail how Cheptegei was ruthlessly set upon by her former partner, named by Kenyan press as Dickson Ndiema.
Agnes Barabara, who lives adjacent to Cheptegei’s home, told the BBC: ‘When I came out, I saw Rebecca running towards my house on fire, shouting: help me.
‘As I went to look for water and started calling out for help, her assailant appeared again and doused more petrol on her.’
Barabara added she could not eat for days after witnessing the incident from mere metres away, saying solemnly she had never seen anyone ‘burned alive’.
Cheptegei, 33, tragically died of multiple organ failure last week in a hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, days after she suffered 80% burns
Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei poses for a portrait during Team Uganda flag off to the Paris 2024 Olympics at the State House in Entebbe, Uganda, 16 July 2024
Cheptegei is said to have got into an argument with her ex-boyfriend Dickson Ndiema who allegedly snapped and doused her in petrol before lighting her on fire
Joseph cheptegei, father of Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who died after her ex-boyfriend set her on fire speaks in Eldoret, Kenya, September 5, 2024
Cheptegei was born in Kenya close to the border with Uganda, but crossed over to represent the latter as her athletic career began to pick up speed.
A former sergeant in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, Cheptegei displayed a talent for endurance running and resolved to compete in the marathon and other long distance events at the highest level.
In 2022, she won gold in the up and downhill mountain race at the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand.
Cheptegei also won the Padova marathon in Italy earlier that year, before finishing second in the Abu Dhabi marathon in 2hr 22min 47sec – the second fastest time by a female Ugandan.
The fatal attack took place weeks after she had returned from the Paris Olympics, where she placed 44th.
She was heard by neighbours arguing loudly with her former partner on Sunday, September 1, at home in Kenya’s western Trans Nzoia County where she had recently moved to be closer to superior Kenyan training facilities.
Her ex-boyfriend, named as Dickson Ndiema, is said to have set her on fire with neighbours rushing to try and extinguish the flames, to no avail.
The athlete was rushed to the intensive care unit at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, with some 80% of her body badly burned.
She was stabilised and there were hopes she could survive the ordeal early last week, but the facility’s acting director Dr Owen Menach confirmed Cheptegei died on Wednesday night after all her organs began to fail one after the other.
Ndiema, whom police have named as the prime suspect in Cheptegei’s death – which is being treated as murder – also suffered significant burns in the attack and is currently recovering from his injuries in hospital.
He is set to be detained and arraigned once doctors deem him healthy enough to be released.
Kenyan cops confirmed they found a five-litre jerry can, a bag and a scorched phone at the scene, with criminal investigations officer Kennedy Apindi saying in a statement: ‘We have opened a file, investigations are at an advanced stage.’
Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said: ‘The couple was heard quarrelling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her. The suspect was also caught by the fire and sustained serious burns.’
Meanwhile, Cheptegei’s father Joseph told journalists he hopes the man who allegedly killed his daughter is brought to justice, adding that he was concerned he had not been detained already while in hospital.
‘As it is now, the criminal who harmed my daughter is a murderer and I am yet to see what the security officials are doing,’ he said.
‘He is still free and might even flee.’
Cheptegei’s funeral will be held on September 14, organisers said Sunday
Her father, Mzee Joseph Cheptegei, has revealed that his family will struggle to cope following his daughter’s passing
Kenyan police confirmed the runner was attacked at her house in western Trans Nzoia County
A former sergeant in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, Cheptegei displayed a talent for endurance running and resolved to compete in the marathon and other long distance events at the highest level
Cheptegei leaves behind two children, aged nine and 11, who are fathered by a different man living in Uganda.
One of Cheptegei’s daughters is said to have witnessed the assault at her mother’s home last Sunday.
She told Kenya’s The Standard that Ndiema stopped her from trying to help her mother after she was set alight.
‘He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother.
‘I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible,’ added the girl, who has not been named.
Tributes for the fallen marathon runner flooded in last week.
A statement from the Ugandan Athletics Federation on social media read: ‘We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest In Peace.’
World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe pledged to look at ways to better protect female athletes.
He said: ‘Our sport has lost a talented athlete in the most tragic and unthinkable circumstances.
‘Rebecca was an incredibly versatile runner who still had lots left to give on the roads, mountains and cross country trails.
‘I have been in touch with our council members in Africa to see how we can help, not only in our capacity as governing body of the sport Rebecca competed in, but to assess how our safeguarding policies might be enhanced to include abuse outside of the sport, and bringing together stakeholders from all areas of athletics to combine forces to protect our female athletes to the best of our abilities from abuse of all kinds.’
Cheptegei is pictured having swapped shirts with Italian athletes
Cheptegei’s sister breaks down in a press conference following the attack on the Olympic athlete
Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei (left) pictured with her ex-boyfriend Dickson Ndiema (right), who allegedly doused her in petrol and set her alight
Renowned athletics TV commentator Rob Walker wrote on X: ‘I’ve witnessed great progress in East Africa over last 20 years. But the treatment of successful female athletes by jealous husbands/boyfriends must now be addressed. This is utterly appalling.’
Reported attacks on women have been on the rise in Kenya and the country’s sports minister Kipchumba Murkomen added: ‘This tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need to combat gender-based violence, which has increasingly affected even elite sports.’
Fellow Ugandan runner James Kirwa said: ‘She was a very affable person. She helped us all even financially and she brought me training shoes when she came back from the Olympics. She was like an older sister to me.’
Cheptegei’s funeral will be held on September 14, organisers said Sunday.
Meanwhile, the city of Paris has announced it wants to honour the late Ugandan runner by naming a sports venue after her.
The proposal was announced by city mayor Anne Hidalgo on Friday and will be discussed by city officials in October.
‘Paris will not forget her and we will dedicate a sports venue to her, so that her memory and her story will remain among us, and help us carry even stronger the message of equality, which is a message carried by the Olympic and Paralympic Games,’ Hidalgo said.
City hall said in a statement, ‘Paris joins its elected representatives in expressing its support for the family of the athlete, victim of a femicide a few weeks after her participation in the Olympic Games.’
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
