Eldoret is a highly rated training centre in Kenya and many athletes have embraced it for their training sessions.
However, it’s becoming a scary spot for athletes from Uganda after claiming lives of two Olympians from the Pearl of Africa.
The period within which the two incidents occurred, one year, makes it even more scary. Rebecca Cheptegei is the most recent victim of the attack in the area.
She was doused with petrol and set ablaze by her estranged boyfriend Dickson Ndiema Marangach on Sunday after the couple had a disagreement over land.
Despite the efforts of doctors at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital to rescue her life, she passed away on Friday following the failure of all her organs after she suffered severe burns covering 80% of her body.
Barely a year ago, her compatriot Benjamin Kiplagat was stabbed to death near the Kenyan town of Eldoret in December 2023.
Kiplagat was reportedly found with stab wounds in his brother’s car and police has since arrested two suspects in David Lokere and Peter Khalumi with the aid of CCTV footage.
The 34-year old had represented Uganda at three summer Olympics in 2008, 2012 and 2016 in Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro.
Meanwhile, the 33-year old Cheptegei had just returned from her maiden Olympic Games in Paris, France in August.
Her estranged boyfriend Marangach remains in hospital after his arm was also caught by the fire and legal proceedings will take place thereafter.
