Marathon Runner Dies Shortly After Participating In Barcelona Race, VIDEO
During a marathon race that took place in Barcelona, an unidentified man reportedly suffered a heart attack and passed away on March 17.
The 45-year-old athlete died shortly after the St. Patrick's Day race and was pronounced dead after being transported to the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, according to The Associated Press. The man has been only been identified as a popular, expert Catalan runner with the initials X.J., but his name has yet to be fully revealed.
The late marathon runner was said to be a resident of Hospitalet de Llobregat, which is a municipality close to Barcelona, Spain. He reportedly fainted after crossing the finish line of the race.
"The entire organization team of the Zurich Marato de Barcelona expresses their sorrow and conveys their deepest condolences to the family and all the close friends," Zurich Marato de Barcelona, the organization behind the marathon, said in a statement, according to The Epoch Times.
The runner is said to be the second to die in a marathon in the past week.
On March 15, a 29-year-old man passed away while participating in a half marathon in Tel Aviv, Israel. Extreme heat conditions reportedly caused his death along with serious dehydration and other heat-related illnesses that had put 12 others in the hospital.
In April 2012, 30-year-old Claire Squires died running in the London Marathon in England. A coroner had ruled in January 2013 the reason for her death was a single dose of Jack3d, a performance-enhancing supplement that was legal to purchase in England at the time, but banned a few months later.
Coverage of the marathon itself can be viewed below.
