Ex-Pune scientist collapses during Satara half marathon, dies

Pune: A 65-year-old retired scientist from Pune died after suffering a cardiac arrest while running a half marathon in Maharashtra's Satara district, organisers said on Monday.

The Satara Hill Half Marathon, considered one of the toughest in the country for its steep climb and sharp descent in the Western Ghats, was held on Sunday, with 7,700 runners completing the 21.1-km course, they said.

Sanjay Kadam, a first-time participant, felt uneasy while running downhill near the Powerhouse area between 9.30 am and 10 am on Sunday, as per the organisers.

"Fellow runners, including Miraj cardiologist Riyaz Mujawar, immediately administered Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to him. A cardiac ambulance stationed along the route also reached the spot and medical personnel administered emergency treatment before shifting him to Pulse Hospital while continuing CPR," event president Upendra Pandit told PTI.

Doctors at the hospital performed an angiography and found one of Kadam's major arteries completely blocked. An angioplasty was subsequently performed, and a stent was inserted, following which he was revived and stabilised.

"However, around four hours later, he suffered another massive cardiac attack and died," the official said.

The deceased was a retired scientist who had worked with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

According to the organisers, medical details of participants are collected during registration, and this year every registered runner was provided a medical identification tag with relevant information to facilitate emergency assistance.

Around 80 per cent of the participants wore the medical tags during the event, they said.

A network of medical teams, including bike ambulances and a cardiac ambulance, was deployed along the route. Three to four participants who experienced severe cramps or other medical issues received immediate assistance, they added.