Five athletes collapsed during the Taipei Marathon event this morning, and were rushed to hospital, at least three having lost vital signs, requiring Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The race started at Taipei City Hall at 6:30 am with the temperature at 13°C, and humidity at 62%.
According to reports, a 50-year-old female collapsed, unconscious, on Renai Road, Section 2 at 7:28 am, and was rushed to National Taiwan University Hospital.
At 7:43 am, a 41-year-old man collapsed and was also rushed to NTUH.
Taipei City Fire Department said that at around 8:10 am, a male participant, aged around 30, collapsed at the intersection of Zhongshan North Road and Nong’an Street. The runner lost signs of life, but vital signs were restored after CPR as he was rushed to Mackay Memorial Hospital.
Twenty minutes later, another participant collapsed and lost vital signs in front of the Yuanshan Police Station. The man was rushed to Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital.
A fifth runner collapsed at the intersection of Nanjing East Road and Gaungfu North Road at around 9:00 am. The 20-year-old man also lost vital signs and was resuscitated before being rushed to Cathay General Hospital.
By 10:30 am, a total of five people had collapsed unconscious in the course of the race. According to reports all five are now conscious and under observation in hospital.
The Taipei Marathon is an annual marathon held in December each year since 1986. It is one of two World Athletics Label Road Races held in Taiwan.
For the first time in its history, the 2021 marathon, with the awkwardly-phrased theme “The Day we Reborn,” required participants to show record of COVID vaccination, or medical record showing proof of recovery from COVID-19, or negative PCR test/rapid antigen test certificate.
The winner of the men’s marathon was Ethiopian Demeke Kasaw Biksegn with a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, 42 seconds. Biksegn took the first prize of NT$750,000 (US$26,667).
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