24-year-old runner dies after collapsing in Central Park

Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old from Pennsylvania, died on Sunday after collapsing during the New York City Marathon. Race officials confirmed she passed away at a local hospital after medical staff rushed her there from Central Park.

Apa collapsed at Mile 24, near 85th Street. A bystander began performing CPR before paramedics arrived and transported her to the hospital. The New York Road Runners released a statement saying they are deeply saddened by her passing and offered their sympathies to her family and the running community.

This was Apa’s first marathon. She had signed up to raise money for The Parkinson's Foundation in honor of her late grandfather. She graduated from Bucknell University in 2024 with a degree in Markets, Innovation and Design and served as a four-year member of the school’s field hockey team.

Her father said that she suffered from rhabdomyolysis, a rare muscle condition. Dr. Farrukh Koraishy, a nephrologist at Stony Brook Medicine, explained that the condition involves the breakdown of muscle cells and the release of their chemicals into the bloodstream.

The city’s medical examiner has not yet determined the official cause of death. Bucknell University released a statement mourning her loss and extending condolences to those who knew her.

The last time runners died during the New York City Marathon was in 2008. Three participants died after suffering heart attacks during or after that race. Experts note that the physical toll of a marathon can be difficult to predict.