Tragic Death of Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei: A Community’s Loss and a Call for Justice

In a heart-wrenching account, Agnes Barabara, a neighbor of the late Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, shared the horrifying details of the incident that led to the athlete’s untimely death. Tearfully recounting the events, Barabara said she was at home when she first heard cries of “fire” coming from outside.

When she emerged, she was shocked to see Cheptegei, engulfed in flames, running towards her house while shouting for help. The area around Cheptegei’s home in north-west Kenya now bears the marks of the tragic event: flowers have been placed on the scorched grass where Cheptegei tried desperately to extinguish the flames by rolling on the ground.

Rebecca Cheptegei, 33, died on Thursday from severe injuries inflicted when her former partner allegedly threw petrol on her and set her alight at her residence, where she was staying with her two daughters. Barabara, who witnessed the attack, described the scene as something she had never seen before, admitting that she couldn’t eat for days following the incident. She remembered Cheptegei fondly, noting the athlete’s kindness, which included sharing harvested maize with her.

Police are treating Cheptegei’s death as a murder case, with her former partner identified as the primary suspect. Local authorities revealed that the couple had ongoing disputes over a small plot of land where Cheptegei resided. The suspect remains in the hospital for injuries sustained during the attack and will face charges once he has recovered. Divisional Criminal Investigations Officer Kennedy Apindi stated that investigations are progressing, with a case file already opened.

Cheptegei’s mother, Agnes, described her daughter as a well-behaved, kind, and joyful person throughout her life. Emmanuel Kimutai, a friend and former schoolmate, remembered her as a determined and exceptional athlete from a young age. Despite not finding success in Kenya, Cheptegei chose to represent Uganda in her athletic career. In 2008, she joined the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and achieved the rank of sergeant.

Cheptegei’s career saw her compete in the Paris Olympics earlier this year, where she finished 44th in the marathon. Despite this, she was celebrated as a “champion” in her home community. She lived in Chepkum, a village in Kenya near the Uganda border, where agriculture and cattle-rearing are the main activities. Trans-Nzoia County, where Cheptegei lived, is renowned for its maize production, a staple of Kenyan cuisine.

Locals from a nearby shopping center fondly remembered Cheptegei as a humble and kind presence who would wave at them while training. Despite her athletic achievements, her personal life was marred by conflict with her ex-partner, which began over financial disagreements and led to multiple reports of domestic disputes.

As her family prepares for her final rites, Cheptegei is set to be laid to rest on 14 September at their ancestral home in Bukwo, Uganda. Her death marks the third instance of an athlete being killed in Kenya in the past three years, with intimate partners being the main suspects in these cases. Joan Chelimo, co-founder of the athlete-led gender-based violence activist group Tirop’s Angels, emphasized the urgent need to address this alarming trend, expressing heartbreak over the violence Cheptegei endured and the trauma experienced by her children.

“This violence against athletes must stop,” Chelimo urged, highlighting the pressing need for action to prevent such tragedies in the future.