Olympic Athlete Tragically Dies Days After Being Set on Fire by Ex-Boyfriend.

Athletics General

Olympic Athlete Tragically Dies Days After Being Set on Fire by Ex-Boyfriend.

Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died just days after being attacked with petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend.

Rebecca Cheptegei, the 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner who competed in the recent Paris Olympics, tragically died after suffering severe burns from an attack on Sunday. 

The assault occurred in north-west Kenya, where Cheptegei lived and trained, as she was returning home from church with her two daughters.

Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, expressed his deep loss, describing her as a "very supportive" daughter. 

Fellow Ugandan athlete James Kirwa spoke to the BBC, highlighting Cheptegei's generosity and her financial support for other runners.