Rebecca Cheptegei laid to rest in home village

KAMPALA, Uganda | Xinhua | Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who died after allegedly being set on fire by her former boyfriend in Kenya, was laid to rest at her ancestral home in Bukwo in eastern Uganda on Saturday.

Cheptegei, who finished 44th in the women’s marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics and served as a sergeant in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, was honored with a three-volley salute by her military colleagues, marking the end of the funeral.

Her burial followed a special council session at the Bukwo district headquarters, where hundreds of mourners, including athletes, family members, residents, government officials and dignitaries, gathered to pay their respects.

Cheptegei’s body, which sustained 80 percent burns after being doused with gasoline, allegedly by her partner Dickson Ndiema, was buried amid widespread sorrow.

Ugandan Minister of State for Sports Peter Ogwang condemned the growing gender-based violence against female athletes.

“Our female athletes face numerous challenges, including domestic violence and interference from spouses during training and competitions. Some husbands have even taken over coaching roles, preventing professional coaches from training their wives,” Ogwang said.

Cheptegei is remembered for her gold medal victory at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand. ■