24-Year-Old Collapses In Final Moments Of New York City Marathon, Dies

Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old first-time marathoner, collapsed near Mile 24 of the New York City Marathon and later died in hospital. Her father said the cause was rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which damaged muscle releases its contents into the bloodstream; her death has prompted condolences from race organisers and the running community.

Apa was a former Division I field hockey player who had trained for months and had recently started an MBA programme. She was running to raise money for Parkinson’s disease research in memory of her grandfather. Organisers said the race had more than 60,000 finishers, a first for the event, and that the last runner death following a medical condition was in 2024.