SPORT - ATHLETICS
| 2013-08-12‘Beata Naigambo low on iron’
Sheefeni Nikodemus
BRAVE HEART... Namibia’s Alina Armas (right) rushes to assist compatriot Beata Naigambo after she collapsed during the women’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships outside the luzhniki stadium in Moscow, russia on Saturday.
A DIETARY deficiency rather than the searing heat may have lead to Beata Naigambo’s dramatic collapse during the Women’s Marathon at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Moscow on Saturday.
Naigambo staggered off the road before losing consciousness after just 16 minutes and 5km of the race.
Helalia Johannes and Leena Ekandjo also failed to finish the race.
The fourth Namibian in the race, Alina Armas, managed to complete the course as 25th in a time of two hours, 45 minutes and 9 seconds.
Armas may have placed higher had she not sacrificed her time to assist her ailing companion while waiting for paramedics.
The 33-year-old Naigambo reportedly complained of a severe headache and could remember nothing of the incident once she had regained consciousness, according to dehardloopkrant.com. She was taken to a Moscow hospital and kept overnight for observation.
Tests showed she had very low iron content in her blood, however whether that was the reason for the collapse is still being investigated.
The race, which started at 2pm local time, was run under brutal conditions of 28 degrees heat and 66% humidity.
Only 46 of the 73 starters completed the course, with reigning Olympic champion Tiki Gelana and three of her Ethiopian teammates among the high profile casualties.
Kenyan Edna Kiplagat successfully defended her title from Daegu, South Korea, two years ago, hitting the front with 2km to run and going on to win in 2:25.44.
Kiplagat’s victory made up for a disappointing London Olympics last year when she was suffering with flu and trailed home 20th behind Ethiopian Gelana.
Valeria Straneo of Italy, who led for 40km, was second in 2:25.58 and Kayoko Fukushi (Japan) took bronze with 2:27:45.
Helalia Johannes and Leena Ekandjo also failed to finish the race.
The fourth Namibian in the race, Alina Armas, managed to complete the course as 25th in a time of two hours, 45 minutes and 9 seconds.
Armas may have placed higher had she not sacrificed her time to assist her ailing companion while waiting for paramedics.
The 33-year-old Naigambo reportedly complained of a severe headache and could remember nothing of the incident once she had regained consciousness, according to dehardloopkrant.com. She was taken to a Moscow hospital and kept overnight for observation.
Tests showed she had very low iron content in her blood, however whether that was the reason for the collapse is still being investigated.
The race, which started at 2pm local time, was run under brutal conditions of 28 degrees heat and 66% humidity.
Only 46 of the 73 starters completed the course, with reigning Olympic champion Tiki Gelana and three of her Ethiopian teammates among the high profile casualties.
Kenyan Edna Kiplagat successfully defended her title from Daegu, South Korea, two years ago, hitting the front with 2km to run and going on to win in 2:25.44.
Kiplagat’s victory made up for a disappointing London Olympics last year when she was suffering with flu and trailed home 20th behind Ethiopian Gelana.
Valeria Straneo of Italy, who led for 40km, was second in 2:25.58 and Kayoko Fukushi (Japan) took bronze with 2:27:45.
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