Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died days after being doused in petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend.

The 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner, who competed in the recent Paris Olympics, had suffered extensive burns after Sunday’s attack.

The authorities in north-west Kenya, where Cheptegei lived and trained, told the BBC that she was targeted after returning home from church.

A report filed by a local administrator alleged the athlete and her ex-partner had been wrangling over a piece of land.

Police say an investigation is under way.

There are concerns about the increasing cases of violence against female athletes in Kenya. Cheptegei is the third to have died since October 2021.