Fallen Ugandan Athlete Rebecca Cheptegei To Be Honored By Paris

Posted by: Eninu William in Uganda news September 7, 2024

According to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s announcement on Friday, the French capital will honor the memory of Rebecca Cheptegei, the late Ugandan Olympian by dedicating a sporting complex in her honor.

The Ugandan marathon runner passed away on Thursday, four days after her former partner in Kenya doused her in gasoline and lit her ablaze.

Cheptegei made her Olympic debut last month at the Paris Games, where she placed 44th overall.

“She dazzled us here in Paris. We saw her. Her beauty, her strength, her freedom. And it was in all likelihood her beauty, strength and freedom which were intolerable for the person who committed this murder,” Hidalgo said.

“Paris will not forget her. We’ll dedicate a sports venue to her so that her memory and her story remains among us. And helps carry the message of equality, which is a message carried by the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

In the attack on Sunday, Cheptegei, 33, sustained burns on over 80% of her body. This makes her the third well-known athlete to pass away in Kenya since October 2021.

Kipchumba Murkomen, Kenya’s minister of sports, called Cheptegei’s passing a loss “to the entire region.” Ganzi Semu Mugula, the chair of Uganda’s athletics commission, commented on the attack on Friday saying that:- “This is a critical moment not just to mourn the loss of a remarkable Olympian, but to commit ourselves to creating a society that respects and protects the dignity of every individual.”

Meanwhile, the boyfriend Dickson Ndiema is still hospitalized after he also suffered burns to 30% of his body. His fate is yet to be determined although the public is calling for him to face the death penalty too.

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