A sports activities venue in Paris might be named after Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who died after her ex-boyfriend allegedly set her on hearth, the French capital’s mayor has introduced.
The 33-year-old mom died on Thursday with extreme burns after her former associate allegedly doused her in petrol and set her on hearth exterior her house in north-western Kenya on Sunday.
Police in western Kenya have instructed the BBC they’re treating Cheptegei’s dying as homicide. They beforehand stated an investigation was below approach.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo stated dedicating a sports activities venue after Cheptegei would assist “her reminiscence and her story stay amongst us”.
Cheptegei competed within the Olympic marathon in Paris, coming forty fourth in a time of two hours 32 minutes and 14 seconds.
Ms Hidalgo instructed reporters the runner “dazzled us” on the Olympic Video games within the French capital, including that “Paris won’t neglect her”.
“We noticed her. Her magnificence, her power, her freedom, and it was in all chance her magnificence, power and freedom which have been insupportable for the one who dedicated this homicide,” she stated.
“We’ll dedicate a sports activities venue to her in order that her reminiscence and her story stays amongst us and helps carry the message of equality, which is a message carried by the Olympic and Paralympic Video games.”
Joan Chelimo, a fellow athlete of Cheptegei’s, stated girls must “come collectively” following the incident.
“I knew Rebecca as an individual: we have been collectively on the Paris Olympics. She was a mum, she had been arduous working to be on the Olympics,” she instructed BBC Radio 4’s Girl’s Hour.
“She was the breadwinner of her household and you’ll think about different women have been trying as much as her.”
Ms Chelimo added: “We’re nonetheless hoping, and attempting to hope, that the perpetrators might be held accountable for his or her wrongdoings.”
At 19 years previous, Cheptegei first represented Uganda in an under-20 race on the 2010 World Cross Nation Championships and later transitioned to longer street races, making her marathon debut in 2021.
She recorded a private better of two hours 22 minutes and 47 seconds the next yr, making her the second-fastest Ugandan lady of all time.
Cheptegei was capable of assist her household along with her earnings from working.
Ms Chelimo stated she thinks some males really feel “intimidated” by feminine athletes who’re “going past the normal norms of males offering every part”.
“They’re turning into extra financially steady, they’re turning into extra impartial, and I feel their ex-partners don’t like the actual fact we have gotten impartial, we’re elevating our voices extra.”
A report filed by an area administrator alleged the athlete and her ex-partner had been wrangling over a bit of land.
Assaults on girls have turn out to be a serious concern in Kenya. In 2022 a minimum of 34% of ladies stated that they had skilled bodily violence, in line with a nationwide survey.
“Extra must be achieved,” Ms Chelimo stated. “We’re actually hoping that now it’s one other get up name and for us to come back collectively.”
