Ugandan long-distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei passed away on September 5 due to severe body burns she sustained following an altercation with her boyfriend.
According to BBC reports, during an argument, Cheptegei's boyfriend doused her with gasoline from a canister and set her on fire. She was quickly delivered to the hospital, where she was placed in intensive care in critical condition. The assailant has been detained by the police.
Cheptegei was scheduled to participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where she had previously finished 44th in the marathon event. In 2023, she claimed the silver medal at the marathon in Florence, Italy, and also secured 14th place at the World Championship in Budapest. Rebecca Cheptegei was 33 years old.
