Two Dead After Philly Marathon Sunday
Authorities have reported that two participants in Sunday’s Philadelphia Marathon collapsed and died from apparent heart attacks.
Philadelphia police officer Jillian Russell served as spokeswoman for the event and reported that a 21-year-old Asian male collapsed at the finish line. Also, a 40-year old white male collapsed about a quarter-mile before the finish line.
Both runners were taken to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Due to pending notifications, the names of the runners have not yet been released.
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Executive director of The Philadelphia Marathon Race Weekend Melanie Johnson released a statement saying the event organizers are “deeply saddened.”
“Our thoughts are with their families and friends,” added Johnson.
The sold-out marathon included at least 25,000 participants along with 60,000 spectators were present for the 18th annual race.
Fire officials said that ten other runners were rushed to the hospital by ambulance Sunday, and their injury statuses are unknown.
The marathon’s course went throughout Philadelphia, with much of the trail set along the Schuylkill River. Runners passed historic sites including Betsey Ross’ house as well as the Liberty Bell. The course went in and out of Fairmount Park and through districts Manayunk and University City.
The Philadelphia Marathon, which is open to all competitors, began at 7 a.m. EST Sunday morning with light winds and mostly cloudy skies.
Many athletic events have involved injury and even death. In August, the Nautica New York City Triathlon saw two participators die after the swimming portion.
Michael Kudryk, a 54-year-old participator from Freehold, NJ died of cardiac arrest while swimming in the event. He was found unconscious in the Hudson about a half-mile into the swim stage and was pulled out of the water near 79th Street.
The death of a second competitor was reported a day later. The 40-year-old woman experienced difficulty during the swim portion and is said to have suffered a heart attack.
Triathlons have become increasingly popular in the U.S., with a membership of over 135,000 people, according to the USA Triathlon website.
A report by the LA Times indicated that deaths due to triathlons may be more likely than death by marathons, and that both present the risk of dehydration, exhaustion, and broken bones.
A study in 2009 at the American College in Cardiology found that sudden deaths in triathlons were found to be doubly higher than those in marathons: 1.5 per 100,000 versus 0.8 per 100,000.
