Tragic End: Ugandan Marathon Runner Rebecca Cheptegei’s Boyfriend Dies from Burns

Rebecca Cheptegei, the Ugandan female marathon runner who set herself on fire and died, has been followed by another tragic loss. Her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, who was being treated for burns, has also passed away.

According to local reports, Ndiema died of respiratory distress at Moi Hospital in Eldoret, western Kenya, on September 10th. He had been receiving treatment for burns covering 30% of his body in the intensive care unit.

The incident that led to the tragic events began on September 1st, when Ndiema doused Cheptegei with petrol and set her on fire at her home in Kinyoro, Trans-Nzoia County, western Kenya. Cheptegei’s parents revealed that the couple had been fighting over a land issue, which Cheptegei had purchased in Trans-Nzoia County.

Cheptegei, who suffered burns to 80% of her body, died of multiple organ failure on September 5th while receiving treatment at Moi Hospital. Ndiema, who was also burned during the attack, was being treated at the same hospital.

Cheptegei was a renowned athlete, holding Uganda’s women’s marathon record. She had finished 44th in the women’s marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics just a month prior to her tragic death.