Story at a glance
- A 62-mile ultramarathon was held in the Yellow River Stone Forest in the Gansu province of China over the weekend.
- Chinese authorities are investigating the race organizers after 21 runners died and eight were injured due to extreme weather conditions.
- The race was still held despite the area being hit by high winds, rain, lightning and hail.
Chinese authorities are investigating after 21 runners died and another eight were injured during an ultramarathon in the country over the weekend.
An ultramarathon is any run longer than the marathon distance of 26.2 miles. This particular ultramarathon was on a 62-mile course that traversed through high altitudes in the Yellow River Stone Forest in the Gansu province. At the start, 172 runners headed out into what observers are calling unsafe weather conditions, The Guardian reported.
Authorities are investigating if race organizers were negligent to allow the race to commence despite weather reports warning of “sudden heavy showers, hail, lightning, [and] sudden gale-force winds” in an area known for extreme weather conditions.
The competitors wore little protective apparel and carried only emergency foil blankets. Temperatures reportedly fell below zero and the runners were hit with high winds, rain, sleet and hail, leaving some of the foil blankets in shreds.
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Over 700 rescuers utilized radar and thermal imaging drones to locate the distressed runners. One of the 21 runners who died was 31-year-old Liang Jing, an ultramarathon record-holder who had won numerous Chinese races the last few years.
“I’m still stunned by the news. How could this happen? I can not believe it,” Liang’s father told The Guardian.
China’s General Administration of Sport said it will be overhauling safety procedures for sporting events, including new emergency measures to address “problems and deficiencies” in the race management.
One survivor, Zhang Xiaotao, described passing and losing sight of some of his competitors and falling multiple times until finally he fell and “could not get up.” Before he passed out, Zhang used his emergency blanket to provide coverage and set off his GPS locator.
A shepherd rescued him, enveloping him in a blanket and carrying him to a cave where other runners were also taking shelter. Once Zhang regained consciousness, they finished descending the mountain.
“As a participant, I would like to pay my deepest condolence to my fellow runners who have passed away,” Zhang told The Guardian. “May they rest in peace. My utmost appreciation to the shepherd. I would have died if he had not saved me. What he has done will never be forgotten.”
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