May 10, 2026, 5:31 p.mMay 10, 2026, 5:31 p.m
Despite rapid intervention, the emergency services were unable to save the girl.Image: screenshot radio west
A 15-year-old died while running a marathon in Leiden, Netherlands. The girl who ran the half marathon collapsed on the way and received medical care on site, the organizers said. But it could no longer be saved. It was not immediately known why the girl collapsed. “This is terrible news, especially for the family to which this girl belonged,” said Tjeerd Scheffer from the organizing team.
Leiden Mayor Peter Heijkoop was also shocked: “This is incredibly sad news, there is great consternation about it. As a father, as a lover of running and also as mayor, I feel enormously for you. And my heart goes out to the family affected by this.”
The age limit for taking part in the half marathon was 16 years. “Our system is based on the age that the participants themselves state,” Scheffer told the ANP news agency. The girl collapsed around four kilometers from the finish. The weather was mild and not too warm. Medical help was on site very quickly, but the helpers were unable to save the girl. (sda/dpa)