The prestigious Tata Mumbai Marathon was back for its 18th year after a two-year hiatus due to COVID on January 16. The spirits were high as a whopping 55,212 people participated across seven categories.
Along with competitive participants, other categories included the Senior Citizens' run, race for persons with disabilities, Dream Run, etc. However, it was not really a 'Dream Run' for many participants who required medical assistance, including a cardiac arrest.
The participant, Akbar Ali Pathan, suffered a cardiac arrest while running the marathon. He was attended by the Asian Heart Institute team, which was the medical partner for the event. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital. According to reports, the participant was in the ICU and is likely to undergo angiography.
As many as 1983 participants required medical assistance. According to reports, 55% of the cases were due to muscle-related issues, and around 40% were due to dehydration.
Eight included severe dehydration, and three were hospitalized. Forty participants were treated in the ambulance on the spot. There were a total of 14 hospitalizations. 13 out of the 14 have since been discharged.
Some of the injuries included -
Leg fracture
Face injury due to a fall
Hand injury due to a fall
Shoulder dislocation
Finger injury
Hand injury
Foot blisters
Calf injury
Chest pain
Hypothermia
Severe cramps
Giddiness
According to the doctors, the number of participants who required medical assistance could have been worse. Doctors believe that the early start time of the marathon (5:15 am) and the cold temperature were the reasons which might have actually helped to prevent some injuries. Mumbai also marked its coldest day of the season on the day of the marathon.
(Input from various media sources)