Brooklyn Half-Marathon runner collapses, dies at finish line

NEW YORK - A runner in the Brooklyn Half-Marathon died Saturday after collapsing at the finish line, according to officials.

The runner, a 30-year-old man from Brooklyn, made it to the finish line at Coney Island at around 8:45 a.m. on Saturday before collapsing, according to authorities. He was rushed to Coney Island Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

It was unclear what caused the runner to collapse, though a statement from the nonprofit New York Road Runners said it happened after the man finished the 2022 RBC Brooklyn Half.

"Our thoughts and sympathies are with the runner’s family and those close to them," said spokesperson Trina Singian.

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Singian said medical staff had been placed from start to finish throughout the racecourse. The group also monitored weather conditions up to and during the race with city agency officials and weather experts. Singian said the temperature ranged from the low 60s to high 70s during the race, which began at 7 a.m.

"In coordination and consultation with city agency partners and weather experts, NYRR was closely monitoring weather conditions leading up to and during the race," NYRR told FOX 5 NY. 

Sixteen runners were hospitalized after the race. Three had serious, non-life-threatening injuries, while three had minor injuries, the condition of the others is currently unknown. 

Over 22,000 runners were expected to run from Prospect Park to the Coney Island boardwalk in the Saturday half marathon, which returned to full capacity for the first time in three years.

With the Associated Press.