French national who died after Gold Coast Marathon identified
Fresh details have emerged about a French national who died after collapsing 100metres from the Gold Coast Marathon finish line. Read about the plan to honour his life.
Gold Coast
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French national Florian Gallay who collapsed in sight of the Gold Coast Marathon finish line and later died was on holidays with his partner when tragedy struck.
The 34-year-old, who was given CPR by first responders immediately, was under 100 metres from the end of the 42.2km race at Broadwater Parklands.
It’s believed his partner witnessed it unfold.
It’s the first time in 43 years of the event someone has died during the race, which this year was sold out.
Asked for comment, Events Management Queensland CEO Ben Mannion said marathon organisers had been talking closely with Mr Gallay’s partner and his family members back in France.
“We are working with the family in a way to honour Florian and that could include family members coming out next year,” he said.
Marathon team members and first responders who directly dealt with Mr Gallay’s on-course collapse were being supported in the wake of the harrowing incident, Mr Mannion said.
“We do know that he had the best medical care straightaway and was looked after fantastically from Gold Coast University Hospital as well.”
During the marathon weekend, a Melbourne group called Heartbeats for Xav ran the course to fundraise for the Centenary Institute in Melbourne’s research into heart attacks in young people.
They were raising money in honour of Xavier O’Grady, who died after cardiac arrest at the finish of the Melbourne half marathon last year.
All up, Heartbeats for Xav raised $900,000.
Mr Gallay was one of two men who collapsed during the event.
The other was 29-year-old Elanora dad Camryn Lloyd, who remained in a critical condition in hospital on Wednesday morning after suffering a “cardiac arrest”, according to his family.
The Kingscliff Seventh-day Adventist Church community came together to pray for Mr Lloyd on Tuesday night.
More than 24,000 people took part in the Gold Coast Marathon weekend featuring eight different distance races.
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