The Paris Olympics were full of so much positivity, and I loved all of the stories of supportive partnerships and marriages within the Olympic community. There were so many boyfriends and husbands who were genuinely so proud of their Olympian partners, men who were not threatened by their partners competing in their fields and winning medals. But of course there are awful stories too, like what happened here to Ugandan distance-runner Rebecca Cheptegei. Rebecca competed at the Paris Olympics, then returned to her home in Kenya, where she lives and trains. Her (current or ex) boyfriend sneaked into her home while she was in church, then when she returned, he doused her in gasoline and set her on fire.
A Ugandan athlete who appeared in the 2024 Paris Olympics is in critical condition after reportedly being set on fire by her boyfriend in Kenya. Distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei, 33, suffered 75 percent burns on her body after her boyfriend allegedly doused her in gasoline and set her on fire at her home in Trans Nzoia County in western Kenya on Sunday, Sept. 1, police said, per the Associated Press, BBC News and ESPN.
Trans Nzoia County Police Commander, Jeremiah ole Kosiom said Monday, per the outlets, that the attack happened during a dispute between Cheptegei and her boyfriend Dickson Ndiema.
“The couple were heard quarreling outside their house,” he told journalists, per BBC. “During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her.”
Ndiema also sustained serious burns in the fire. The pair were put out by neighbors and transported to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in the nearby city of Eldoret for specialized treatment. In a report filed by the local police obtained by AP, the pair were described as having been heard arguing over the land the home was built on before the incident.
Kosiom told local outlet The Standard, “[Ndiema] is believed to have sneaked into the compound at around 2:00 p.m. on Sunday while the wife and the children were in Church. Upon returning, Dickson, who had procured petrol, began pouring it on Rebecca before he set her ablaze.”
He added to the outlet that items including “a five-liter jerrican” belonging to Dickson and “a burned mobile phone believed to be for Rebecca” were collected for forensic analysis. An investigation is ongoing, per multiple reports.
“Ndiema also sustained serious burns in the fire.” I hope he does not survive his self-inflicted injuries. I hope Rebecca gets the best treatments available and that she survives. Jesus, this story is awful. Given this detail – “he is believed to have sneaked into the compound at around 2:00 p.m. on Sunday while the wife and the children were in Church” – I genuinely believe that Ndiema was not Rebecca’s current boyfriend. This is stalker-ex behavior. This was Ndiema punishing Rebecca for breaking up with him and for being an Olympian. Toxic masculinity.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.