Runner collapses and dies at half marathon finish line

A young runner has died after collapsing at the finish line of Brooklyn’s famous half-marathon, following a difficult race that saw others rushed to hospital.

A runner has died after collapsing at the finish line at the Brooklyn half marathon. Picture: New York Road Runners/Instagram

A runner has died after collapsing after the finish line at the Brooklyn Half Marathon, authorities in New York have said.

The 30-year-old man, who was not identified, possibly suffered cardiac arrest around 9am on Saturday, local time, and was taken to Coney Island Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the NYPD, the New York Post reported.

The runner collapsed after finishing the race, according to the New York Road Runners club which held the event, and reportedly fell on the boardwalk.

A runner has died after collapsing at the finish line at the Brooklyn half marathon. Picture: New York Road Runners/Instagram

The race finished at the Coney Island boardwalk. Picture: New York Road Runners/Instagram

The race, which took the 22,000 runners from the Brooklyn Museum through Prospect Park to New York’s iconic Coney Island boardwalk, was held under unseasonably warm conditions. The temperature at 9am at Coney Island was already 21C degrees with 83 per cent humidity, according to Fox Weather.

RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon, Prospect Park to Coney Island. @nyrrhttps://t.co/DWF2OBCN2Epic.twitter.com/p6l28nRJHy

— Peter Niemi (@peterniemi) May 21, 2022

One police officer said four other people collapsed near the end.

“Maybe an organiser or health official should have called it,” the officer said.

The New York City Fire Department said 16 people were taken to the hospital, including five with serious injuries.

New York Road Runners (NYRR) said it had “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.”

The runner collapsed on the boardwalk near the finish line at Brooklyn’s iconic Coney Island. Picture: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

“The health and safety of our runners, volunteers, partners, and staff remain the top priority for NYRR. In co-ordination and consultation with the city agency partners and weather experts, NYRR was closely monitoring weather conditions leading up to and during the race,” the group said in a statement.

The event was held in person for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic started.

Celebrities including NBC’s Today weatherman Al Roker, Good Morning America anchor T.J. Holmes and Bachelorette alum Zac Clark were expected to participate.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission