NAIROBI — A Ugandan Olympic athlete based in Kenya died after being set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, her father said on Thursday, the latest incident in an epidemic of domestic violence against female athletes in this East African nation.

       “We are in so much pain,” said her father Joseph Cheptegei, describing how he rushed to the hospital in Eldoret, western Kenya, after receiving a call from doctors at 5:30 a.m. but got there too late to say goodbye to his daughter, runner Rebecca Cheptegei.