Deceased Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei. PHOTO/FILE/HANDOUT
The athletics and entire sporting fraternity in Uganda are in a sombre mood following the death of long-distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei.
Cheptegei died at about 5.30am yesterday at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, after succumbing to severe burns from a domestic attack with her partner Dickson Marangach.
Marangach had allegedly poured a flammable liquid on Cheptegei before setting her on fire. She died aged 33 while Marangach, who also suffered 30 percent burns, is hospitalised.
Her condition was critical and despite the multi-specialty effort involving plastic surgeons, ICU doctors, physicians, physiotherapists, and nursing teams, Cheptegei did not survive.
“She had a severe percentage of burns that unfortunately led to multiple organ failure, which ultimately led to her passing,” said Dr Kimani Mbugua, a consultant at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.
“There was kidney failure, cardio-vascular failure, and most of her systems failed following those burns. So, we supported the organs the best as we could. Unfortunately, it was beyond what we could do,” he added.
Cheptegei’s family could not contain their grief.
“Rebecca was our pillar because she was educating her siblings who are still in school and it’s so sad we lost her in such a manner,” the deceased’s father, Joseph Cheptegei, said.
Rebecca Cheptegei represented Uganda at the Paris Olympics in France where she competed in the marathon final and finished 44th on August 11.
“I am lost for words,” Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) General Secretary Beatrice Ayikoru told this newspaper. “I met her briefly in Paris before the race. There, you just wish her good luck,” she recollected her final moments with the deceased.
“This is very unfortunate. Violence in itself and against women is something we don’t condone,” added Ayikoru, who is also a World Athletics Council Member.
Before Paris, Cheptegei had featured in the marathon during the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships where she came 14th.
Cheptegei also died as the country’s marathon national record holder at two hours, 22 minutes and 47 seconds from fourth place of the 2022 Abu Dhabi Marathon in the UAE.
In the same year, she won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She came fourth in the 21km race during the African Games in Accra, Ghana back in March.
Cheptegei was discovered through the National Cross-country Championships nearly 15 years ago by Ayikoru and the team. She joined the Arua Athletics Camp before later enrolling at the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF).
“We picked her from Bukwo and we supported her in the early stages of her career. She was a very jolly girl and hard-working. Even when she had challenges, she would smile,” said Ayikoru.
After school, she trained at UPDF's Oliver Tambo School of Leadership at Kaweweta, Nakaseke District and died at the rank of a corporal. “She was our prominent runner,” said UPDF coach Benjamin Longiross.
Cheptegei initially started out as a middle-distance runner in the 800-metre and 1500-metre events in 2010 and 2011 before graduating to long-distance running. Despite a half-marathon debut in Cantalejo, Spain 13 years ago, she made a full marathon bow at the 2021 Eldoret City Marathon.
Longiross memoirs that after her win in Thailand, Cheptegei took UPDF athletes and some officials out to dine in Bombo, Luwero district.
After Kaweweta, Cheptegei got married to Corporal Simon Ayeko, a runner at the time but now attached to the Air Force. “They were not on good terms, she produced two children,” Longiross noted.
In Eldoret at the weekend, Cheptegei had returned from church when the scuffle ensued between her and Marangach. Her father said they had been staying together when she went to train there.
“The man (Marangach) built on the land which had been bought by Rebecca. She was waiting for some money to build on the land. I think he had another woman in the house. Her land which she bought caused her death,” Longiross narrated.
Her father further stated that her daughter would still be alive if the authorities had acted early. “We informed the police about this man who was following our daughter even up to Uganda and we made the same complaint on Friday. Her safety wasn’t guaranteed and the unfortunate thing happened on Sunday,” he added.
Cheptegei is the second Ugandan runner to die in western Kenya after 3000-metre steeplechase runner Benjamin Kiplagat was stabbed to death late last year.
UAF owns a safeguarding policy and early this year, they conducted a life-skills camp involving 125 runners in Kapchorwa, including Cheptegei.
“Ahead of international events and competitions, we are in charge because they are in the camps. But when they are back in the community, we are not,” said Ayikoru.
“Rebecca mentioned sometime back about her challenges. We advised her to train in Uganda. Actually, she moved. Since last year, she has been training in Kenya. It was actually after the Olympics that she moved over,” she said.
Ayikoru appealed to the “the athletes to be conscious of the people they select.”
“Some of the people target the earnings they have, the properties. They target you because they think they can access what they are getting. Unfortunately, this happened outside our country,” she said.
UAF formally informed the UPDF and Ministry of Education and Sports and they await a full post-mortem report with collaborations between both governments of Kenya and Uganda.
What they said
First lady and education minister Janet Museveni: "The news of our daughter, Rebecca Cheptegei's tragic death due to domestic violence is deeply disturbing."
NUP party president Robert Kyagulanyi: "Very saddened by the untimely passing of this young, talented Ugandan athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei. The circumstances of her death are even more depressing. Initial reports indicate she was doused in petrol by her ex-boyfriend and set on fire."
Sports state minister Peter Ogwang: "The Kenyan authorities are investigating the circumstances under which she died and a more detailed report & program will be provided in due course."
Kenya's Cabinet Secretary Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Kipchumba Murkomen: "This tragedy is a stark reminder that we must do more to combat gender-based violence in our society, which in recent years has reared its ugly head in elite sporting circles."
Uganda parliament deputy speaker Thomas Tayebwa: "I hope and pray the Kenyan government brings the perpetrator to book. This is very sad and totally unacceptable! Rest in Peace, champion."
Fact file
Born: February 22, 1991
Died: September 5, 2024
Major event: Marathon
Personal best: 2:22:47
Employer: UPDF
Army rank: Corporal
Children: 2
Major honour: 2022 world mountain trail and running championship gold
