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Paris to honour Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei

The French capital's mayor, Anne Hidalgo, has announced that a sports site is to be named after Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who took part in the Olympic Games in Paris and who died this week after she was set on fire allegedly by her former partner.

La rédaction de Mediapart

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A sports venue in Paris will be named after Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who died after her ex-boyfriend allegedly set her on fire, the French capital's mayor has announced, reports BBC News.

The 33-year-old mother died on Thursday with severe burns after her former partner allegedly doused her in petrol and set her on fire outside her home in north-western Kenya on Sunday.

Police in western Kenya have told the BBC they are treating Cheptegei's death as murder. They previously said an investigation was under way.

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said dedicating a sports venue after Cheptegei would help "her memory and her story remain among us".

Cheptegei competed in the Olympic marathon in Paris, coming 44th in a time of two hours 32 minutes and 14 seconds.

Ms Hidalgo told reporters the runner "dazzled us" at the Olympic Games in the French capital, adding that "Paris will not forget her".

"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," she said.

"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."

Read more of this report from BBC News.