Participant died during running competition in Leeuwarden, several runners unwell

A participant died on Sunday during the ‘Loop Leeuwarden’ running competition. That reports Omrop Fryslân. Several runners also became unwell, after which the organization decided to end the event prematurely.

« Due to the incidents during the half marathon, the pressure on medical care has become so intensive that the safety of participants is compromised, » the organization told Omroep NOS.

The cause of death or the identity of the deceased participant was not disclosed. A trauma helicopter landed near the course, but it is not known whether it was used for the victim or for someone else who became unwell. In large parts of the Netherlands, including Leeuwarden, the temperature rose above 20 degrees on Sunday.

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The Leiden Marathon also had to take action on Sunday: a participant was resuscitated there, a spokesperson said Omroep West. The condition of the runner is still unknown. There were several unwellings, but according to the spokesperson the situation could not be compared with last year, when the loop had to be discontinued.

Even then, heat and health problems in participants were the culprit. Due to the high influx of overheated athletes, the LUMC and the Alrijne hospital could no longer take new people at some point.

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