MUMBAI: Sunday’s marathon took a sombre turn with the passing of two participants — a 40-year-old seasoned full marathoner and a 74-year-old who had previously been part of marathons.
On a positive note, fewer runners — 1,820 — required medical attention compared to previous years, suggesting that participants may be better prepared, while some attributed it to a cooler morning.
Kolkata resident Suvradeep Banerjee (40) arrived in the city on Friday to participate in the 42km run, said his friend Shantanu Ray. The software engineer from Tollygunge had developed a passion for running since 2019 and was training virtually with a Pune coach for nearly two years. He participated in Kolkata full marathon last year and finished the challenging Buddha Trail near Darjeeling, which has an ascent of 1,800m.
Banerjee collapsed near Haji Ali junction. Doctors at Nair hospital said the sudden collapse caused an injury to the left side of forehead, bleeding and abrasion over left knee. He was declared dead on arrival. A hospital official said the death was likely caused by coronary artery blockage. “His death has come as a big shock. He would train at least thrice or four times a week,” said Ray.
Rajendra Bora’s daughter Dr Pooja Jain, a Goregaon (E) resident, told Azad Maidan police that her septuagenarian father would run marathons. Bora collapsed near the petrol pump close to Pizza by the Bay, opposite Marine Drive at 8am and was rushed to Bombay Hospital. Doctors from Asian Heart Institute (AHI), the medical partners for the race, administered CPR on the spot and during transit to the hospital, but he didn’t respond. The cause of death was cardiac arrest, said police.
AHI doctors said 1,820 runners required medical aid, with 22 being hospitalised, of which 19 were discharged by evening. The majority of cases involved muscle cramps, sprains, hypoglycaemia, bruises, exhaustion, and dehydration. Among the major injuries reported, two runners experienced chest pain, four had a loss of consciousness, four others suffered from knee injuries and leg cramps, one person had shoulder dislocation, and one exhibited symptoms of shivering and hypothermia. Dr Vijay D’silva of AHI said the number of runners requiring attention has been decreasing over the years — 1,983 in 2023 and 3,226 in 2019. “The races starting earlier at 5am and the conducive temperature have aided the runners,” he said.
On a positive note, fewer runners — 1,820 — required medical attention compared to previous years, suggesting that participants may be better prepared, while some attributed it to a cooler morning.
Kolkata resident Suvradeep Banerjee (40) arrived in the city on Friday to participate in the 42km run, said his friend Shantanu Ray. The software engineer from Tollygunge had developed a passion for running since 2019 and was training virtually with a Pune coach for nearly two years. He participated in Kolkata full marathon last year and finished the challenging Buddha Trail near Darjeeling, which has an ascent of 1,800m.
Banerjee collapsed near Haji Ali junction. Doctors at Nair hospital said the sudden collapse caused an injury to the left side of forehead, bleeding and abrasion over left knee. He was declared dead on arrival. A hospital official said the death was likely caused by coronary artery blockage. “His death has come as a big shock. He would train at least thrice or four times a week,” said Ray.
Rajendra Bora’s daughter Dr Pooja Jain, a Goregaon (E) resident, told Azad Maidan police that her septuagenarian father would run marathons. Bora collapsed near the petrol pump close to Pizza by the Bay, opposite Marine Drive at 8am and was rushed to Bombay Hospital. Doctors from Asian Heart Institute (AHI), the medical partners for the race, administered CPR on the spot and during transit to the hospital, but he didn’t respond. The cause of death was cardiac arrest, said police.
AHI doctors said 1,820 runners required medical aid, with 22 being hospitalised, of which 19 were discharged by evening. The majority of cases involved muscle cramps, sprains, hypoglycaemia, bruises, exhaustion, and dehydration. Among the major injuries reported, two runners experienced chest pain, four had a loss of consciousness, four others suffered from knee injuries and leg cramps, one person had shoulder dislocation, and one exhibited symptoms of shivering and hypothermia. Dr Vijay D’silva of AHI said the number of runners requiring attention has been decreasing over the years — 1,983 in 2023 and 3,226 in 2019. “The races starting earlier at 5am and the conducive temperature have aided the runners,” he said.