Organizers of Warsaw Marathon have found themselves on the spot for failing to offer help to a Kenyan athlete who collapsed about 800 meters from the finish line.
Recho Kosgei had taken a clear lead in the women’s race and was ahead of her competitors by almost three minutes, but collapsed during the race held on Sunday and was captured struggling to get up on her own, with no help from the race officials.
Moments before collapsing, the Kenyan runner waa seen wobbling from side to side and turning her head backwards for about a mile. Kosgei eventually collapsed to the periphery about 2 hours, 30 minutes into the 42km race.
A video circulated online showed the runner struggling to get up with two other athletes finally catching up with her two-and-half minutes later. One of the competitors in the men’s race is seen trying to help her, but she remained on the ground.
Bekelu Beji, an Ethiopian runner zoomed past them not breaking her stride to help and won the race. Kosgei did not finish the race and was later treated by medical personnel, the Polish media said.
Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir condemned the incident, saying that help should have been offered to her.
“This is beyond acceptable although it’s illegal for race official to help a runner. I think there comes a time when logic takes over @iaaforg,” tweeted Korir.
Saddique Shaban, a popular sports writer and commentator, said the event organisers were on the spot for declining to assist Kenya’s Recho Kosgei, dangerously needing help, in Sunday’s event.
“Why would an @iaaforg Bronze Label event allow such travesty ? What if she were a local athlete? Would she be left fighting for her life?” posed Shaban on his twitter handle @ SaddiqueShaban.
“Cases of athletes dying in road races, mostly amateurs, have been on a rise. But this was no amateur athlete,” added Shaban.
Julius Kemboy @JKembo tweeted, “Oh no! I hope she is now in good health! Organisers have responsibility to ensure the athletes get all assistance in the race!”
Another veteran sports journalist Makamu Mbaisi was shocked by the incident. “Warsaw Marathon really?? Where were the medics?.”
I am sorry for her Collapse…
I am sorry for her Collapse but to say the Truth: Men should be Men and Women, women! Why? Women were are still meant for Tender Responsibilities like Carrying a Baby in the Womb, Breastfeeding the Kid()s
Maybe they should have…
Maybe they should have called raila and his OKOA thugs to go and save her … vinyanjariga vyote
I think you’re Out of Your…
I think you’re Out of Your FAKING mind and CONFUSING between Raila and Sonko’s so-called “Rescue Team.” So Leave RAO alone and Talk to Sonko if you think she Really Needed Help all the way from Kenya. Crap!!!
Guest1, its is true that in…
Guest1, its is true that in just about all physical sports,men will better the women.Sometimes its not by much.That’s why we have men competing against men.Having said this, its it important to note that numberwise, alot of men collapse and dies in marathon than women.I guess one could argue that there are more men running marathons.
The reasons given on this lady, is that she missed 3 water stations thus dehydrating much more than should have.If you have watched marathons, you will realize that even the best of then never miss awater station,unless ofcouse by accident.
Her manager also said that she got prompt treatment,contrary to what is perceived in the article.Yes she stayed down for afew minutes,because officials are not supposed to help a runner because she or her could be disqualified.But as soon as they determined that she could not continue, prompt medical attention was given. This is what the marathon organizers said after questioned arose about this runner.Right now she is fine,from what I have read.
Good preparation,and good health is paramout for athletes male, or female.
Maxiley. To say the least:…
Maxiley. To say the least: Women have No Business Engaging in Muscle and TESTOSTERONE demanding Sports. For Women I would rather they Sprint and not Marathon; Netball and not Basket ball nor Football; Peacemaking and not Wrestling nor Boxing; Chatting and not Debating. And this is why In the Old Days we Had what Was Called TABOOS: A Clandestine Way of Raising Children in the Natural and Biological Way they should go According to the Way God RESPECTIVELY Created Man and Woman for. And this is why Gender Confusion between Boys and Girls or Men and Women drives me bonkers.
This is a stupid comment…
This is a stupid comment that shows your ignorance. Your mansplaining just reeks of male chauvinism. If women feel they want to do something, they should free to do it. Nature or nurture has nothing to do with it. Take your taboos back to the African jungle! In the modern world people are free to do anything under the sun provided it is legal
You think carrying a baby is…
You think carrying a baby is a tender responsibility. Pregnancy is rough and tough and most men would not be able to handle it. The bigger point is that you seem to be a very shallow minded person for obvious reasons that would be pointless to say
Ofcouse men cannot handle…
Ofcouse men cannot handle pregnancy in the “male state” they are in.That is apenis,and with no womb. So your mentioning that most men cannot handle it is irrelevant. I would only be relevant if both sexes were the same in the reproduction respect.And if men were to have babies,I wonder if we could really call them “men”.”Most women” cannot handle pregnancy either,for one reason or another.
@voxafrica. You missed my…
@voxafrica. You missed my point by a mile. I am not talking about pregnancy! Guest1 raised the issue of tender responsibilities for women which i think is sexist, chauvinistic and ignorant. But it seems you do not seem to grasp this fact as well.
i think you are the most…
i think you are the most heartless human being i have ever met si if your wife collapses in the office shee should ne ressurected using plates and spoons and apregnancy. i believe in God let him judge you i hope this reaches you
It is important to…
It is important to constantly update information and challenge the previous information acquired earlier in life through our parents, relatives, neighborhoods, schools, and all places of worship if proven wrong through scientific research must be discarded. When? Immediately.
It does not matter where you were born or raised, we are 99.9% similar. The Polish people who did not come to rescue Recho Kosgei need to update their thinking about humanity.
Interesting enough, we can learn from our four legged brothers and sisters – the cows who do not discriminate each other on the basis of their skin color. Our confused Neo- Nazi and KKK believers need to update their thinking about their concept of the skin color. What about the chickens, they don’t discriminate each other on the basis of their feathers. We can therefore conclude that the cows and chickens are smarter in their thinking than our brothers and sisters who belong to the KKK and the Nazis.
Long live brothers and sisters of the planet earth without believers in magnifying one aspect of human diversity solely based on our gender, nationality, language, culture, or skin color differences.
When you say that “We can…
When you say that “We can therefore conclude that the cows and chickens are smarter in their thinking than our brothers”, it makes me Understand Why “Animals are Smart Enough (than humans) and as such do NOT to Engage in Homosexuality” like some peverts do.
Imara,I think its not so…
Imara,I think its not so much the skin color,but what is associated with it. And to make it worse, some black people have bought into it.The issue of skin color has been on this forum quite often.In one of the articles on Mwakilishi, it was revealed that 70 percent of Nigerian women use skin lighteners.Science has taught us that the dark skin we have protects us against harmful rays from the sun.But why is it that blacks continue using them despite the ill effects?Some of us seem to have very low esteem about ourselves.
Mzungu is not going to change this perception for us. We must do it ourselves. We have to walk tall and proud.We have to make the world think of us differently by,doing what is admirable in the international world.Such as excelling in academics,discovering things that would change humanity,like cure for cancer,Aids, eradicate hunger…etc.For now most blacks are looked at as consumers,and beggars for handouts from the west.
Guest one, with this kind of…
Guest one, with this kind of thinking you aren’t allowed to have kids. Please help us from more like you. WOW
Exactly my sentiment. This…
Exactly my sentiment. This kind of thinking shows how shallow minded some people can be.
@ Maxiley, I totally agree…
@ Maxiley, I totally agree with you especially when you said that, ” Some of us seem to have very low self esteem about ourselves.”
Majority of us have not yet stopped for a minute and asked ourselves this basic question, ” Do I have to abandon my ancestral name, language, religion, culture, and everything about my ancestors in order to learn how to ride on a bicycle, drive a car, fly an aircraft, teach algebra in schools, treat patient in the hospital as a nurse or a doctor?” That is exactly what we did as a result of our having very low self esteem about ourselves.
People in China, Japan, India, the Arab world did not abandon the items listed above but they can also do what they learned from their conquerors and many times better.
There should have been…
There should have been medics close by and even security to help her. This has got nothing to do with Kenya. Cities make enough money from tourism when hosting such international events and free publicity . Their role is not only just hosting the athletes but ensuring their safety and well being. this has nothing to do whether this is an elite runner or not .It shows how backward some European countries are and Kenyan runners should think twice before signing up even if it is to make an extra buck if their lives are in danger.