Post date: Mar 15, 2013 5:47:18 PM
A heatwave takes its toll on Tel Aviv marathon runners leaving one man dead and dozens of runners hospitalised.
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (MARCH 15, 2013) (CHANNEL 2) - One runner died and dozens of other participants were hospitalised after collapsing on Friday (March 15) during a half-marathon in Tel Aviv held in unseasonably hot weather, medical officials said.
Israel's ambulance service said it treated more than 60 runners who suffered heat stroke, dehydration and minor injuries. One of them, a man aged 37, died and more than 30 were hospitalised, 12 in serious condition.At a Tel Aviv hospital, the father of one runner who collapsed was relieved that his daughter was recovering.
"My daughter has fainted and now she is recovering, she was put on a drip, " Tzvika Kinik said, adding that he hoped she would be discharged from hospital that afternoon.
One runner who completed the 21 kilometre (13 mile) half marathon said that she saw many people who had fainted or been sick along the course.
"Many, many who have fainted, who vomited alongside the road, who fell over," she said, "There were many of them by the roadside."
The Tel Aviv municipality had postponed the full 42 kilometre (26 mile) race because of hot weather forecast for Friday, but went ahead with the half marathon and other shorter races. Temperatures climbed at midday to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) in the seaside city.
The heatwave brought the crowds to Tel Aviv beach on Friday, the traditional first day of the Middle East weekend, with sun worshippers taking up every available bit of space along the golden sand.
Many beachgoers enjoying the weather said that the heat may have been a contributing factor to the problems, but runners should have taken precautions themselves.
"I think that the locals need to do more sports, it's healthy, but the things that happened today, it happens. So you can't avoid it. Maybe a little bit of checks, you can check the people to (see) if they are healthy enough, "said Eval, a local from Tel Aviv.
"Sports can be a dangerous thing, but assuming that you take the proper precautions I think that even in weather conditions that make it a little bit hotter so still could practice it safely. Things happen even when it's not so hot outside, you never know when something is going to happen, and I think you just need to take those extra precautions that you need to take due to the weather and other circumstances," Josh Swartzbaum, another local, added.
35,000 runners took part in the half marathon, with 150,000 spectators lining the route to cheer them on.