Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, is in critical condition at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, Kenya, following a violent attack.
Cheptegei was admitted on Monday after her boyfriend allegedly assaulted her, pouring petrol on her and setting her on fire. The boyfriend, who also sustained severe burns, is receiving treatment at the same hospital. Authorities in Trans Nzoia County have confirmed that an investigation is underway.
Cheptegei’s parents, Joseph Cheptegei and Agnes Ndiema, reported that she was initially treated at Kitale Level Four Hospital before being transferred to MTRH. The parents, who traveled to Trans Nzoia after learning of the incident, shared that Rebecca had been living in a house she built on land she purchased in Trans Nzoia for training purposes, although her permanent residence is in Cheminy, Uganda.
The attack occurred on Monday, and local authorities are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.