Ugandan Olympic long distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei is in intensive care in a Kenyan hospital after being doused in petrol and set on fire by her partner.

The 33-year-old recently competed in her first Olympic Games in Paris, running the women’s marathon and finishing in 44th place in a season’s best time of 2:32.14, nine minutes of gold medallist Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands.

But weeks after the event, the running star has reportedly suffered burns to over 75 per cent of her body in the horrific attack.

Police said Cheptegei was assaulted by her Kenyan boyfriend Dickson Ndiema Marangach who reportedly snuck into her home in Endebess in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya at around 2pm on Sunday while she and her children were at church.

“Dickson, who had procured petrol, began pouring (it) on Rebecca before he set her ablaze,” a police report said, adding that he was also injured by the flames.

The report said that neighbours had rescued the pair and taken them to nearby Kitale County Referral Hospital where they were admitted with “multiple burns”.

They were transferred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), where Cheptegei was admitted to the intensive care unit on Monday.

Trans-Nzoia County police commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom told Kenyan newspaper The Standard that the pair had been “heard quarrelling outside their house” before the incident.

A report filed by the local chief said the couple had been fighting over the land where the house was built.

“During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her,” Mr Kosiom said.

“The suspect was also caught by the fire and sustained serious burns.”

Cheptegei is an accomplished long distance runner, having claimed gold at the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thaliand in 2022.

The assault comes two years after Kenyan-born athlete Damaris Mutua was found dead in Iten, a world-famous running hub in the Rift Valley in the west of the country.

Her death followed the murder of record-breaking runner Agnes Tirop, 25, who was found stabbed to death at her home in Iten in 2021.