London marathon: man dead after crossing finish line
A man is dead after collapsing on the finish line and a woman who finished in 20th place is missing after the London marathon on Sunday.
The 42-year-old man died after he collapsed at the finish line of the capital’s annual marathon. He was given medical assistance immediately after the race, but was pronounced dead at hospital shortly after.
The missing woman is an elite athlete, aged 24, from Sierra Leone. She was due to fly home on Monday but did not return to her temporary accommodation following the race.
Police said that Mami Konneh Lahun appeared to vanish after finishing the race on Sunday. She had been staying at an address near Greenwich, south east London, since arriving in the country on 7 April. She has no known links to the UK and does not have a mobile phone.
An estimated 36,000 people took part in Sunday’s 26.2 mile race through London, ranging from elite athletes to fun-runners who were raising money for various charities.
Sincere condolences
The 42-year-old man who died has not been named. A spokeswoman for Virgin Money, the event’s organiser, said: “The organisers of the Virgin Money London Marathon would like to express their sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this difficult time.”
Kenyan world record holder Wilson Kipsang won the men’s race in 2hrs 4mins and 29secs, a course record, while home favourite Mo Farah came home almost four minutes back in 2hrs 8mins and 21secs.
The women’s title was taken by Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat, in a time of 2hrs 20mins and 21secs.
Video: Mo Farah misses out on debut London marathon victory
Temperature rise
Temperatures of 11C (51.8F) were recorded at the start of the race in Greenwich at 10am but, as runners made their way around the course, sunshine and lack of a breeze made conditions feel considerably warmer. By the time runners reached the finish line in St James’s Park, temperatures reached 16C (60.8F), the equal highest of anywhere in the UK.
More than 1,200 volunteers from St John Ambulance lined the streets and medical staff advised runners to take on plenty of water and keep well hydrated as the race got under way under near-cloudless skies.
In the 2012 event hairdresser Claire Squires, 30, from North Kilworth, Leicestershire, collapsed a mile from the finish line and died later from cardiac failure.
She was raising money for the Samaritans and in the week after her death donations to her fundraising website jumped from £500 to more than £1m.