24-Year-Old Collapses And Dies 2 Miles From Finish Line At New York Marathon

A first-time marathon runner collapsed and died just two miles from the finish line at the New York City Marathon on Sunday. As per The New York Times, 24-year-old Rachel Apa was an athlete, a former Division I field hockey player at Bucknell University and had trained for the New York event for months. Her mother Michelle Apa, who was present at the race, last recorded Rachel's video at Mile 14 before she headed to Central Park for the final stretch of the marathon.

Rachel was smiling when the video was recorded, her mother told NYT. Her father Steve Apa kept track of her progress at home in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, through the marathon app.

Father and daughter communicated through text messages on the app when she crossed Mile 18 and 19. But after that, he never heard back.

Steve told the BBC that Rachel was in "perfect health and perfect shape". She participated in the marathon to raise money for the Parkinson's Foundation Champions charity and to honour her grandfather who had the disease.

At Mile 24, Rachel collapsed in Central Park. A bystander performed CPR before the medical crew arrived but she could not be saved.

She died from rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition where muscles break down and poison the bloodstream, which can be brought on by overexertion, Steve Apa told the BBC.

New York Police Department (NYPD) said she was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Centre in a critical condition. Doctors tried to save Rachel's life for more than six hours but all the efforts went in vain. New York's medical examiner's office said it is still investigating Rachel's cause of death.

"We are deeply saddened by Rachel's passing following running in Sunday's race. Our thoughts and sincere sympathies are with her family, friends, and the entire running community," the marathon's organizer New York Road Runners said in a statement.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Rachel graduated with a business degree in 2024 from Pennsylvania's Bucknell University. She initially worked as a product manager at an industrial technology company.

Rachel called her grandfather her "role model". "He taught me to stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges, shaping my love for sports and movement," she said in a note written on the charity's website.

More than 61,000 people participated in this year's New York City Marathon.