Open in App
  • Local
  • U.S.
  • Election
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Education
  • Real Estate
  • Newsletter
  • Page Six

    Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei set on fire by boyfriend after competing in Paris

    By Tamantha Ryan,

    21 hours ago

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1QCkO6_0vJ8DofH00

    Marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei was set on fire by her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, weeks after competing at the Paris Olympics .

    Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said the Ugandan athlete, 33, was attacked by Ndiema on Sunday after they had a disagreement, according to the Associated Press .

    Police claim Ndiema bought a can of gas and poured it on Cheptegei before setting her ablaze in her home in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya. She sustained burns on more than 75 percent of her body.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2Gw64r_0vJ8DofH00
    Marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, seen above in yellow in August 2024, was set on fire by her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, weeks after competing at the Paris Olympics. China News Service via Getty Images
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4Ju4Za_0vJ8DofH00
    Police say the athlete was attacked Sunday after having a disagreement with her boyfriend. Istvan Derencsenyi/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

    Simone Biles meets ‘ecstatic’ Caitlin Clark and her teammates for first time: ‘They were so excited’

    Cheptegei’s parents told local police she had recently purchased land in Trans Nzoia to be closer to the athletic training centers.

    “The couple [was] heard quarreling outside their house. During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her,” Kosiom told reporters, per the BBC .

    The local chief reportedly stated in his report that the couple was heard arguing over the land where her house was built before the flames began.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=02kQsM_0vJ8DofH00
    Police claim Ndiema bought a can of gas and poured it on Cheptegei before setting her ablaze in her home. AFP via Getty Images

    Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher scores Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover: ‘Strength is beautiful’

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0IW5UK_0vJ8DofH00
    Cheptegei sustained burns on more than 75 percent of her body. AFP via Getty Images

    The BBC reported that Cheptegei was rescued by her neighbors and is in critical condition.

    Ndiema also sustained burns during the attack. He and Cheptegei are receiving treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

    CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO PAGE SIX DAILY FOR MORE CELEBRITY NEWS

    Cheptegei began racing in 2010.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=01Bm4q_0vJ8DofH00
    Ndiema, who was also burned during the attack, and Cheptegei are receiving treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. @UgaAthletics2/X
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=14109L_0vJ8DofH00
    Cheptegei, seen above in January 2023, began racing in 2010. She placed 44th in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics in August. AP

    She competed on behalf of Uganda in the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished in 44th place in the women’s marathon.

    In April 2022, Cheptegei won the Padova Marathon and placed second in the women’s 10,000-meter run at the Ugandan Championships in Kampala, Uganda.

    If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.

    For more celebrity and entertainment news, visit pagesix.com.

    Expand All
    Comments / 0
    Add a Comment
    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
    Most Popular newsMost Popular

    Comments / 0