Ugandan runner remembered for her bravery

The day before my Olympic marathon race in Paris, I jogged around the Olympic Village to stretch out my legs and shake out some nerves. I passed by a group of marathon women — maybe five or six of them — from Kenya and Uganda standing outside their complex, chattering excitedly and bobbing to some African tunes. Immediately I felt both regretful that I didn’t have the same close-knit running community but also inspired by their cohesion, joie de vivre and sense of belonging.

- MALINDI ELMORE

Rebecca Cheptegei was in that group, relaxing and having some fun. I wondered if maybe I was taking things too seriously when I realized that many of tomorrow’s medal hopefuls were in the group? Or maybe, as we have now come to learn, Rebecca had never felt safer than she did inside the secured and protected gates of the Olympic Village.

We must remember Rebecca and all the women who die at the hands of their abusers not for their senseless deaths, but for their accomplishments and courage

The following day we marshalled toward the start line of the Olympic Marathon and I noticed the group, once again huddled together. The energy this day was much more serious and focused, but still the women stuck together.