What to Know About Rebecca Cheptegei, the Olympic Runner Set on Fire in a Gasoline Attack

On Aug. 11, Rebecca Cheptegei finished in the middle of the pack of the women's marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Now, she's fighting for her life at a hospital in Kenya.

The 33-year-old distance runner suffered burns over more than 75 percent of her body after a man, referred to by authorities as her boyfriend, doused her with gasoline and set her on fire at her home in Trans-Nzoia County on Sept. 1, according to local police.

Dickson Ndiema Marangach, the alleged perpetrator, also suffered "serious burns" and they were both being treated at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in the city of Eldoret, Trans-Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom told Kenyan paper The Star.

Cheptegei, a Ugandan-born athlete living in Kenya to be closer to elite training facilities, was in critical condition with external and inhalation burns, MTRH CEO Dr. Owen Menach told reporters outside the hospital.

"She is a high-profile patient," he added, "and we are doing all we can to save her life."

According to Kosiom, neighbors heard Cheptegei and Ndiema arguing on Sept. 1 at her home in Endebess, Kenya. Then, the commander said, Ndiema left, purchased a 5-liter can of gasoline and returned to Cheptegei's residence.

"The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house," Kosiom told Kenya's The Standard. "During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her."

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. 

"The shocking reality that at least 10 women have been killed in the first month of 2024 alone intensifies an already troubling trend," Mary Njeri, a gender-based violence analyst, told UN Women in February. "Each loss is a stark indicator of the systemic issues we are striving to dismantle."

While doctors try to prevent Cheptegei's name from being added to that tragic list, here is more to know about the athlete fighting for her life:

Who is runner Rebecca Cheptegei?

Cheptegui was born Feb. 22, 1991, and grew up in Cheminy, in the east African nation of Uganda.

Her dad Joseph Cheptegei told reporters that his daughter is a married mother of two daughters, age 9 and 11, and their father lives in Uganda.

She's been competing professionally in distance races since 2010, according to World Athletics, with her first listed result being a 4-minute, 20.49-second 15th-place finish in the 1,500-meters at the 38th IAAF World Cross Country Championships that year in Poland.

In 2022, she won the Padova Marathon in Italy and finished second in the 10,000-meters at the Ugandan Championships, as well as triumphed in the women's up-and-down mountain race at the the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

She capped off that year finishing in fourth place in the 2022 ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon with a personal best time of 2:22:47.

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.

At the Summer Games, where she made her Olympics debut, she finished 44th (of 91 runners, 11 of whom didn't finish) in the women's marathon with a time of 2:32:14.

Ugandan Olympic Committee president Donald Rukare slammed the attack on Cheptegei as "totally unacceptable."

"Let's keep Rebecca in pray [sic] and wish her a full recovery," he posted on X Sept. 3. "Let's all say NO to violence especially against women. This is totally unacceptable and we condemn this totally uncalled for attack. Together let’s stand against 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?

While police referred to Marangach as Cheptegei's boyfriend, her father told reporters outside the hospital, per The Star, "They were just friends, and I wonder why he wanted to take things away belonging to my daughter."

Standing alongside Cheptegei's sister Evalyne Chelagat, the family patriarch pleaded for justice.

Marangach suffered burns over 30 percent of his body in the fire and was in better condition than Cheptegei, according to hospital CEO Menach.

Police commander Kosiom told The Standard that Marangach snuck into Cheptegei's home at around 2 p.m. on Sept. 1 while she and her children were at church. "Upon returning, Dickson, who had procured petrol, began pouring it on Rebecca before he set her ablaze," he said. Eventually, he continued, "The two were rescued by neighbors who put out the fire and rushed them to hospital."

Investigators found an empty gas can and a fire-damaged mobile phone they believe belonged to Cheptegei, Kosiom said.

The commander also said Cheptegei and Marangach had been involved in a protracted dispute over land that was headed to court and were known to have argued about it before.

And amid reports that called the attack a domestic dispute, Cheptegei's dad Joseph re-emphasized that his daughter was not romantically involved with Marangach.

"I wish to state that my wounded daughter is married and her husband is in Uganda," he told The Standard. "Her attacker was a friend they met in Kenya and my daughter trusted him. They fell out recently but the suspect sneaked into her compound on Sunday afternoon, armed with five litres of petrol and hid in a poultry house."

Where is Rebecca Cheptegei now?

Cheptegei was first rushed to Kitale County Referral Hospital before being transferred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital for specialized treatment, according to authorities.

She remains hospitalized at MTRH, "in critical condition and under support," anaesthesiologist and Critical Care specialist Dr. Josephat Kerema told The Standard Sept. 3.  "We are in the initial stage of management as we assess Rebecca."

He said that, in addition to the skin damage, the inhalation burns she sustained affected her throat and airwaves, and doctors were working to prevent multi-organ failure. But, the doctor assured that she would be stabilized within a few days.

Cheptegei's father told the publication that her children were being cared for by their grandmother.

"Her children are crying in the house after hearing about the attack," he said. "I have asked my wife to take care of them as we hope for my daughter’s recovery."

For more information on domestic abuse or to get help for yourself or someone you love, visit the website for The National Domestic Violence Hotline (http://www.thehotline.org/) or call 1-800-799-7233.

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