A 30-year-old marathon runner died after he collapsed at the finish line of the 2022 Brooklyn Half Marathon on Saturday morning.
New York City Fire Department (FDNY) spokesperson Frank Dwyer said the male runner, whose identity has not been revealed, collapsed after finishing the race. He was rushed to nearby Coney Island Hospital and pronounced dead. FDNY added there were 16 other runners transported to the hospital, and 4 of them had serious, nonlife-threatening injuries.
“The male runner, age 30, collapsed after finishing the race. He was immediately attended to by on-site medical staff and then transported to Coney Island Hospital. NYRR has medical staff placed from start to finish throughout the race course, who are ready to respond immediately to the medical needs of all runners, spectators, volunteers, and staff. Runners who require further attention are transferred to appropriate medical facilities,” New York Road Runners (NYRR) said in a statement.
On Saturday, the highest temperature in Brooklyn was 90 degrees Fahrenheit based on the data from AccuWeather. It is still unclear if the heat was a factor. However, authorities believe the runner may have suffered from a cardiac arrest around 9 a.m, according to ABC7.
New York Post reported:
The 30-year-old man, who was not identified, possibly suffered cardiac arrest around 9 a.m. and was taken to Coney Island Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the NYPD.
The FDNY said 16 people were taken to the hospital including the man who died and four others with serious injuries.
The race, which took the 22,000 runners from the Brooklyn Museum through Prospect Park to the Coney Island boardwalk, was held under unseasonably warm conditions. The temperature at 9 a.m. at Coney Island was already 70 degrees with 83% humidity, according to Fox Weather.
One police officer said four other people collapsed near the end.
John Peterson, 26, said he has run the Brooklyn Half Marathon multiple times, but Saturday’s was the hottest and most grueling one he had experienced.
“You have to be aware of your own body’s limits. Sometimes you wanna go for it and push yourself,” he said. “And it’s awful sometimes you push yourself too far and this kind of thing happens.”
Anamaria Flores, 42, of Howard Beach said the race was exhausting and she had to walk the final leg.
“It was brutal,” she said. “As a back of the pack runner, that last five miles were really rough. There’s just no shade anywhere. It was definitely one of those days where you have to slow down. With the humidity and once the sun came out, forget about it. It’s a recipe for disaster.”
