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Ex-Boyfriend Who Set Olympic Runner On Fire Pictured As Her Daughter Shares Chilling Details
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Ex-Boyfriend Who Set Olympic Runner On Fire Pictured As Her Daughter Shares Chilling Details

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The daughter of Rebecca Cheptegei, the Ugandan Olympic marathon runner who was doused in petrol and set ablaze by her ex-boyfriend, revealed the harrowing events she witnessed before her mother passed away.

Media outlets have also released the first picture of the brutal attacker, Dickson Ndiema, who also suffered burns during the attack and is recovering from the incident.

Highlights
  • Rebecca Cheptegei, Ugandan Olympic runner, was set on fire by her ex-boyfriend over a land dispute.
  • The attacker, Dickson Ndiema, suffered burns and is currently recovering from the incident.
  • The Olympic runner's daughter witnessed the horrific assault and tried to save her mother but was kicked away.
  • Rebecca tragically succumbed to her injuries on the morning of September 5.

The 33-year-old Ugandan athlete was set on fire in the small town of Endebess, Kenya, during a disagreement over the land bought by her parents.

Officials revealed that the accused ex-boyfriend had entered her property on Sunday, September 1, while Rebecca was at church with her two children, aged 12 and 13. He was allegedly armed with a can of petrol.

Rebecca Cheptegei’s daughter shared gut-wrenching details about watching her mother being set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema

Image credits: Sam Mellish/Getty Images

Image credits: Jiang Qiming/Getty Images

When the Olympic runner returned, the pair were locked in an argument before the enraged boyfriend doused her in petrol and watched her burn.

One of the Paris Olympic participant’s children witnessed the horrific assault and tried to run to her mother’s rescue, but Dickson “kicked” her away.

“He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother,” she was quoted telling The Standard.

Media outlets have released the first image of the alleged attacker, who also suffered burns during the horrific incident

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Image credits: Dickson Ndiema

“I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible,” the bereaved daughter said.

Neighbors rushed to the scene and extinguished the flames, which left both the attacker and the victim severely injured.

The long-distance runner was rushed to the hospital with more than 80% of her body covered in burns, while her violent ex-partner had burns over 30% of his body.

On the morning of September 5, Dr. Owen Menach from the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret confirmed that the Olympic runner had succumbed to her injuries.

“He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother,” the bereaved daughter said. “I immediately cried out for help”

Image credits: Dickson Ndiema

“It is sad that we lost the patient early this morning after all organs failed at about 5 a.m. while we were doing our best to save her life,” the doctor said.

Mzee Cheptegei, the victim’s father, said Rebecca and Dickson had been just friends for a while.

“They were just friends and I wonder why he wanted to take away things belonging to my daughter,” the father told The Star.

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The athlete competed in the 10,000 m race at the Paris Olympics this year and finished in 44th place in the marathon.

In 2022, she won a gold medal at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Netizens were shocked to see the news that the Olympic athlete tragically lost her life

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Binitha Jacob

Binitha Jacob

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Working as a writer for Bored Panda offers an added layer of excitement. By afternoon, I'm fully immersed in the whirlwind of celebrity drama, and by evening, I'm navigating through the bustling universe of likes, shares, and clicks. This role not only allows me to delve into the fascinating world of pop culture but also lets me do what I love: weave words together and tell other people's captivating stories to the world

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Binitha Jacob

Binitha Jacob

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Working as a writer for Bored Panda offers an added layer of excitement. By afternoon, I'm fully immersed in the whirlwind of celebrity drama, and by evening, I'm navigating through the bustling universe of likes, shares, and clicks. This role not only allows me to delve into the fascinating world of pop culture but also lets me do what I love: weave words together and tell other people's captivating stories to the world

Donata Leskauskaite

Donata Leskauskaite

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Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

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Donata Leskauskaite

Donata Leskauskaite

Author, BoredPanda staff

Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

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orysha_dracarya avatar
Orysha
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Burn this guy alive, it maight make others think twice before killing their girlfriend.

dk_5 avatar
LapCat
Community Member
1 week ago

This comment has been deleted.

kj7418 avatar
Kavin
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I understand where you are coming from, but I still don't think it's right to call 90% of men "Egotistical, fragile, and DANGEROUS pieces of shït!!" for what the 1% do. What if someone called 90% of woman lying, cheating, sadistic pieces of shït for what one woman did? btw I am definitely not equating cheating and burning someone to death, just trying to prove a point.

Load More Replies...
ga_5 avatar
G A
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope he lives, so he can suffer horribly while he is in prison for life. Those poor kids. That poor woman. Deserved much better than this abusive arsehole.

Load More Comments
orysha_dracarya avatar
Orysha
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Burn this guy alive, it maight make others think twice before killing their girlfriend.

dk_5 avatar
LapCat
Community Member
1 week ago

This comment has been deleted.

kj7418 avatar
Kavin
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I understand where you are coming from, but I still don't think it's right to call 90% of men "Egotistical, fragile, and DANGEROUS pieces of shït!!" for what the 1% do. What if someone called 90% of woman lying, cheating, sadistic pieces of shït for what one woman did? btw I am definitely not equating cheating and burning someone to death, just trying to prove a point.

Load More Replies...
ga_5 avatar
G A
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope he lives, so he can suffer horribly while he is in prison for life. Those poor kids. That poor woman. Deserved much better than this abusive arsehole.

Load More Comments
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