Eilish McColgan

Cheptegei (left), 33, suffered horrendous burns to 80 per cent of her body in Sunday's brutal attack that was reportedly carried out by Dickson Ndiema (right), according to medical officials. She was rushed to the intensive care unit at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, but the facility's acting director Dr Owen Menach confirmed Cheptegei died late last night after all her organs failed. Now, Cheptegei's father, Joseph, has told journalists he has lost a daughter who was 'very supportive' and hopes to get justice. 'As it is now, the criminal who harmed my daughter is a murderer and I am yet to see what the security officials are doing,' he said. 'He is still free and might even flee.' Cheptegei has two children, aged nine and 11, who are fathered by a different man living in Uganda. One of Cheptegei's daughters is said to have witnessed the assault at her mother's home. She told Kenya's The Standard: 'He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother.'

Team GB's Eilish McColgan has paid tribute to Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegui following the marathon runner's tragic death. The Ugandan, who finished 44th in last month's Olympic marathon in Paris, was allegedly doused in petrol and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend on Sunday following a row at her home in Kenya. Cheptegei sustained burns to 80 per cent of her body and was being treated in intensive care in hospital, before she was pronounced dead in the early hours of Thursday.

Cheptegei (pictured left, inset and right with her ex-boyfriend), 33, suffered horrendous burns to 80 per cent of her body in Sunday's brutal attack that was reportedly carried out by Dickson Ndiema (right), according to medical officials. She was rushed to the intensive care unit at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, in the hopes doctors could stabilise her. But the facility's acting director Dr Owen Menach this morning confirmed Cheptegei died late last night. 'Unfortunately, we lost her after all her organs failed,' Menach told Kenyan press. The president of the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) Donald Rukare said in a post on X today: 'We have learnt of the sad passing on of our Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei... following a vicious attack by her boyfriend. 'This was a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete. Her legacy will continue to endure,' he added.