As a woman who has lived through her fair share of challenges and hardships, I can only imagine the terror and pain that Rebecca Cheptegei must be going through right now. The fact that someone she considered a friend could inflict such horrific violence upon her is unthinkable.
On August 11th, Rebecca Cheptegei placed midway in the women’s marathon competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris
Now, she’s fighting for her life at a hospital in Kenya.
33-year-old athlete endured severe burns covering over 75% of her body when her alleged partner, as authorities call him, poured petrol on her and ignited it in their residence in Trans-Nzoia County on September 1, as per the local police report
In response to your request for paraphrasing:
Cheptegei, a Ugandan-born athlete residing in Kenya for access to top-tier training centers, was severely injured with both external and inhaled burns, as reported by Dr. Owen Menach outside the hospital
“She is a high-profile patient,” he added, “and we are doing all we can to save her life.”
As stated by Kosiom, on September 1st, neighbors overheard an argument between Cheptegei and Ndiema at their home in Endebess, Kenya. Later, according to the commander, Ndiema departed, bought a 5-liter container of gasoline, and then returned to Cheptegei’s residence
According to Kosiom, a witness, there was a loud argument happening outside a certain house in Kenya. During this argument, it appeared that the man involved was pouring some substance onto the woman and then setting her alight
The disturbing attack comes amid rising outrage over the scourge of violence against women in Kenya, where, according to the Africa Data Hub (which tracks media reports on such incidents), at least 500 women and girls have been murdered since 2016.
As Mary Njeri, a committed analyst focusing on gender-based violence, I shared my concerns with UN Women in February, emphasizing that the alarming fact that at least 10 women lost their lives within the first month of 2024 underscores an existing and worrying pattern. Each tragic incident serves as a grim reminder of the deeply rooted problems we are working tirelessly to eradicate
As a devoted admirer, I am deeply concerned about the ongoing fight of this remarkable athlete, Cheptegei. Despite medical professionals striving to keep his name away from such a sorrowful roll-call, it’s crucial we understand more about him and his courageous struggle for life
Who is runner Rebecca Cheptegei?
Cheptegui was born Feb. 22, 1991, and grew up in Cheminy, in the east African nation of Uganda.
Joseph Cheptegei shared with the media that his daughter is a married woman who has two daughters, aged 9 and 11. Their father resides in Uganda
She’s been participating in long-distance races on a professional level since 2010, as confirmed by World Athletics. Her initial recorded performance was a 15th place finish in the 1,500 meters with a time of 4 minutes and 20.49 seconds at the 38th IAAF World Cross Country Championships held in Poland that year
In the year 2022, she clinched victory at the Padova Marathon held in Italy, came in second place during the 10,000 meters event at the Ugandan Championships, and also emerged victorious in the women’s up-and-down mountain race at the premiere World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand
2022’s ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon saw her end the year in fourth position, setting a new personal record of 2 hours, 22 minutes and 47 seconds
Cheptegei finished 14th in the marathon at the 2023 World Athletic Championships in Budapest last summer and was one of 25 athletes who qualified to represent Uganda at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In her first appearance at the Summer Games, she placed 44th among 91 female marathon runners, with 11 competitors not completing the race. Her finishing time was 2 hours, 32 minutes, and 14 seconds
The President of the Ugandan Olympic Committee, Donald Rukare, strongly condemned the incident involving Cheptegei, stating it was completely indefensible
On September 3, he wrote, “Let’s continue to hope for Rebecca’s swift healing and recovery, and let’s express that hope. Let’s all voice our disapproval of any form of violence, particularly towards women. This act is inexcusable and we strongly oppose it. Together, let us unite against such acts of violence.”
He continued, “This is heartbreaking and completely unacceptable. No one should ever have to endure such violence, especially someone as inspiring as Rebecca. We must all stand together and say NO to violence against women. Let’s keep Rebecca in our thoughts and prayers, and work towards a society where such acts are condemned and eradicated. Wishing her a full and speedy recovery. #NoToViolence #StandWithRebecca.”
What was Rebecca Cheptegei’s relationship with the man who allegedly set her on fire?
According to The Star, the police labeled Marangach as Cheptegei’s friend, but her father clarified to reporters outside the hospital, “They were simply friends, and I can’t understand why he felt the need to claim items that belonged to my daughter.”
Standing alongside Cheptegei’s sister Evalyne Chelagat, the family patriarch pleaded for justice.
As per the hospital CEO Menach, Marangach sustained burns covering about 30% of his body in the fire, but his condition was reportedly more favorable compared to Cheptegei
Commander Kosiom informed The Standard that Marangach secretly entered Cheptegei’s residence at approximately 2 p.m. on September 1, while she and her children were attending church. Upon their return, Dickson, having obtained petrol, started pouring it on Rebecca before igniting the fuel. Eventually, neighbors managed to extinguish the fire and transport both individuals to the hospital
Investigators discovered an empty fuel container and a charred cellphone, which they suspect is Cheptegei’s, according to Kosiom
Additionally, the commander mentioned that Cheptegei and Marangach had been embroiled in a lengthy disagreement concerning some land, which was on its way to the courts. It’s common knowledge that they had previously exchanged heated words over this matter
As rumors swirled labeling the incident a domestic squabble, my hero, Joseph Cheptegei, emphatically set the record straight: his precious child was never romantically entangled with Marangach
He shared that his daughter, who had been injured, is currently married, and her husband resides in Uganda. The assailant was a friend they encountered in Kenya whom she trusted. They’ve had disagreements lately, but on Sunday afternoon, the suspect managed to enter their compound secretly, carrying around five litres of petrol, and hid in a chicken coop
Where is Rebecca Cheptegei now?
Initially, Cheptegei was taken to the Kitale County Referral Hospital, but later, he was moved to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital for advanced medical care, as reported by the authorities
Dr. Josephat Kerema informed The Standard on September 3 that Rebecca is currently receiving extensive care at MTRH, and her condition is critical. In our initial phase of treatment, we’re carefully evaluating Rebecca’s status to provide the best possible care
The doctor explained that apart from the harm to her skin, she also suffered burns to her respiratory tract. This was causing issues with her throat and airways. Medical professionals were making every effort to prevent multiple organ failure. However, the doctor reassured everyone that she would be stabilized within a few days
Cheptegei’s dad shared with the media outlet that his grandparents are taking care of his kids
He stated, “The kids were sobbing at home upon learning of the incident. I’ve requested my spouse to look after them while we await my daughter’s healing.”
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2024-09-05 00:20