Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died in a Kenyan hospital after suffering burns to 80% of her body in an attack by her partner on Sunday.

Cheptegei, 33, was being treated at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret city. A spokesman, Owen Menach, confirmed her death on Thursday.

Donald Rukare, president of the Uganda Olympic Committee, said in a post on X: “We have learned of the sad death of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei… following a brutal attack by her boyfriend. May her gentle soul rest in peace and we strongly condemn violence against women. This was a cowardly and senseless act that resulted in the loss of a great athlete. Her legacy will live on.”

Jeremiah ole Kosiom, police chief of Trans Nzoia County, said on Monday that Cheptegei’s partner Dickson Ndiema bought a can of petrol, poured it on her and set her on fire. “The couple was heard arguing outside their house. During the argument, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman and then burning her,” Kosiom told the Kenyan newspaper Standard. “The suspect was also caught in the fire and suffered severe burns.” Ndiema was treated in the same hospital as Cheptegei.

Cheptegei’s parents said their daughter had bought land in Trans-Nzoia to be close to the country’s numerous sports centres. A report from the local police chief said the couple were heard arguing over the land on which the house was built before the fire broke out.

Last month, Cheptegei finished 44th in the marathon at the Paris Olympics and 14th at last year’s World Championships in Budapest. In 2022, she won the hill climb at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand.