(The Standard P.4 25 Feb 2013) Two runners were in serious condition in an
intensive care unit (深切治療部) after a record Standard Chartered Marathon led
to chaotic scenes (混亂的場面) that saw at least 37 people getting sent to
hospital.
About
a dozen participants fell over each other when one runner in the 10-kilometer
race stopped to take a picture with his phone – prompting (敦促) organizers to consider banning (禁止) such
devices (設備) at
future events.
The
two in serious condition are aged 47 and 51. Twenty-three were in stable
condition, while 12 were discharged (離開) after treatment.
Last
year, a 26-year-old man died after finishing the half-marathon - the first
casualty (不幸事故) since 2006.
The Hong
Kong Amateur Athletic Association (香港業餘田徑總會) said about 570 runners were attended to by
medics (醫學院學生), down
from 2,000 last year. Those who needed help either suffered cramps (抽筋), had
various wounds or needed ice packs.
Lobo
Louie Hung-tak, associate professor in physical education at Baptist
University, said those who collapsed (累倒) most likely did not have enough rest or
pushed their limits too far since conditions made for "perfect" race
weather.
Among
those caught in the jumble (混亂) was
eventual 10km women's champion Joyce Cheung Ting-yen, who bruised(擦傷) her
knee. "It was painful and I had to bear (承受) the pain while
continuing the run," she said.
Others
described Eastern Corridor route conditions as chaotic when the 10km event
started after 5am, with "runners falling over one another."
The annual
mega event drew (吸引) 72,000 applicants - with 65,000 showing up.
About 34,500 participated in the10km run, 18,000 in the half-marathon and
12,000 in the marathon.
African
runners prevailed in the centerpiece event. Kenyan Julius Maisei, 32, won his
third Standard Chartered title in 2:14:18 while Ethiopian Misiker Demissie
became the first women's champion to repeat as she romped home in 2:30:49.
Candy
Chan
The annual mega event of Standard Marathon attracted more than 7,000 applicants taking part in the charity programme for the charity organization including Seeing is Believing-Orbis, The Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled and The Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society. The annual fundraising event had been held since 1997 and it made a donation of over HK$30 million. Participating in the marathon which is not only good to health but also meaningful, participants are willing to do so.
回覆刪除Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon has been upgraded to be as Road Race Silver Label Event by International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) this year. It can draw in large crowded local and international runners to attend the largest participatory sporting event in Hong Kong. It brings a positive message and encourages people to join the marathon. It can make the participants to have a healthy lifestyle through exercise.
There are some cripples to take part in the sporting event. Some of them have been consecutive a couple of years to do. Some said they did in order to make their promises that they could. Being confident to achieve their goals, they are good models to others.
However, there was an accident at the start of the 10-kilometres race as one had stopped to take a photo herself with a Smartphone. She made a dozen runners, whom were behind her, fall over each other. She was in danger to others. It can cause casualty. We should ban the case repeating.
Kitty Ma