New York City Marathon runner tragically dies at 24 after Central Park collapse
The New York City Marathon is one of the biggest public running spectacles in the world, but the 2026 race featured a tragedy with over 60,000 competitors pacing New York’s streets. Rachel Apa, 24, tragically passed away while running her…
On Sunday night, Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old runner, was declared dead after collapsing during the 2026 New York City Marathon in Central Park. The tragedy occurred about two miles from the finish line, during her inaugural marathon. Apa, who was running in memory of her late grandfather, had been in excellent health prior to the race.
The condition that led to her death was rhabdomyolysis, a condition causing rapid muscle breakdown. Her father, Steve Apa, informed The New York Times that Rachel had complained of severe pain during the 18th mile of the run. Despite her father's reports of her good health, Apa was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital where she was pronounced dead. She had raised over $7,000 for Parkinson's disease research, a cause close to her heart.
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- 24-year-old dies after collapsing during her first New York City Marathon sports.yahoo.com
- Rachel Apa's cause of death: NYC Marathon runner, 24, dies after collapsing in Central Park two miles from finish line hindustantimes.com
- Woman, 24, in ‘perfect health’ dies just three kilometres from finish line of NYC Marathon torontosun.com
