Rebecca Cheptegei, an Olympic distance runner, suffered a 75% burn to her body during the ordeal.
According to authorities, a Ugandan athlete who lives in Kenya was burned by her lover and is currently undergoing treatment for 75% of her burn injuries. Distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who placed 44th in the 2024 Paris Olympics marathon with a time of two hours, 32 minutes, and 14 seconds, is said to have been attacked in her home in western Trans Nzoia County.
During a fight on Sunday (September 1), Dickson Ndiema, Cheptegei’s lover, bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her, and lit her on fire, according to Trans Nzoia police commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom.
Both Ndiema and herself are undergoing specialized care at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret City after Ndiema also suffered burn injuries.
Cheptegei’s parents said their daughter purchased land in Trans Nzoia so she could be close to the several sports training facilities in the county.
Before the fire started, the couple was heard fighting over the property where the house was erected, according to a report submitted by the local chief.
Local media sources report that Cheptegei’s condition is critical.
On social media, the Ugandan Athletics Federation (UAF) has addressed the issue.
“We regret to announce that our athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who competed in the Olympics, has suffered severe injuries and is hospitalized at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret,” the organization tweeted today (September 3).
People have subsequently offered their support for the Olympian as she heals from the traumatic incident.
“Wishing her a quick recovery,” one person wrote.
A second user expressed similar feelings, writing, “Sad to hear this. Wishing her a swift recovery.”
“There are no words. “Best wishes for her recovery,” said someone else.
A different person wrote, “This is so tragic.” I wish her a swift recovery and hope that she receives justice.
Sadly, Cheptegei’s case is not the first of its kind.
Damaris Muthee, a Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete, was discovered dead in 2022 after a post-mortem investigation revealed she had been strangled, while Agnes Tirop, a two-time World Athletics Championships bronze medalist, was found stabbed to death in 2021.
The View hosts defended Taylor Swift’s interaction with Celine Dion at the Grammys
Taylor Swift’s interaction with Celine Dion at the Grammys has been defended by The View hosts.
Swift took home the ‘Album of the Year’ award – for the fourth time – at the 66th AnnuaI Grammy Awards ceremony held on Sunday (February 4) at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
However, rather than simpIy celebrating her win, some viewers flocked to social media to condemn Swift’s apparent treatment of Dion who was presenting the award.
Despite footage of the event showing Swift singing along to Dion’s ‘The Power of Love’ as the 55-year-old entered the stage, oh and the pair being snapped embracing after the ceremony was over, some sociaI media users honed in on the moment Swift took the award from Dion.
However, The View hosts have since addressed the moment and the backlash Swift has faced over it. During yesterday’s episode of The View, Sunny Hostin acknowIedged there’s been ‘controversy’ surrounding Swift’s acceptance of the award and people saying Swift ‘didn’t give [Dion] enough flowers’.
However, the host argued the moment was ‘Taylor’s’ and she was probabIy shocked and just ‘got caught up in the moment’. Co-panelist Sara Haines added there was clearly ‘a lot of emotion’ going on for Swift who she similarly believes was ‘shocked’. Alongside being targeted for her interaction with Dion, Swift has also faced criticism recently from NFL fans over her attending games in support of her Kansas City Chiefs’ player boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
Fellow The View host Ana Navarro commended Swift earIier in the show for ‘not letting [haters] take away her happiness and her success’. All those people bullying Taylor Swift are turning me into a Taylor Swift fan, she said. Because she’s responding to it with such grace and such joy.
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