A 35-year-old participant went into cardiac arrest just 500 metres from the finish line of the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon, with another man also seriously ill
A tragic turn of events unfolded at the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon, where a 35-year-old man died of cardiac arrest. Another young participant, aged 20, also suffered a cardiac arrest and is currently in intensive care.
The older runner was reportedly just 500 metres from completing the half marathon on Paseo de Recoletos when he collapsed. Spanish media sources referred to information from Emergencies Madrid, which said the man was transferred to La Paz hospital “without a pulse.”
At the scene, a Samur-Proteccioon Civil nurse at Cibeles tried in vain to resuscitate the man. The half marathon’s organisers have extended their “deepest condolences” while refraining from releasing further information about the deceased.
It’s understood he was later pronounced dead despite efforts to save him. This heart-wrenching incident occurs with the London Marathon just three weeks away.
The younger runner received immediate attention on Paseo de Recoletos from a doctor spectator and two security personnel. After successful resuscitation at the scene, he was admitted to the intensive care unit at Hospital Cliinico.
As per the latest updates on Monday afternoon, the exact condition of the 20-year-old remains uncertain. This unfortunate event took place despite the half marathon’s organisers’ precautionary measures, such as relocating the finish line to reduce the race’s difficulty.
The Madrid Half Marathon used to culminate at El Retiro Park, a location that marked the end of a final incline. However, the endpoint was relocated to Paseo de Recoletos, right outside the National Library, in 2010.
Warning: Distressing scenes
That decision was made after the tragic death of a 31-year-old participant in 2010. The man in question collapsed and died just after crossing the finish line, and this wasn’t the first such case.
In another unfortunate incident during the 20-kilometre race five years prior, a 24-year-old man also succumbed to cardiac arrest. The severity of his condition left medical personnel who attempted to resuscitate him unable to save his life.
It’s estimated around 27,000 individuals participated in Sunday’s half marathon, an event that first took place in 2001. Medical teams were kept on their toes, tending to plenty of less severe cases.
Reports suggest approximately 50 people required treatment for conditions such as heat stroke and sprains in Madrid on Sunday, despite the relatively mild weather in Spain’s capital over the weekend, with temperatures peaking at 18 degrees.
However, humidity levels soared to a staggering 100 per cent in the morning, according to the Met Office. Although these fell closer to 60 per cent towards the afternoon, it can lead to disastrous results when combined with physical exertion.
