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A celebration of sport turned to mourning in Paris on Sunday morning when a 53-year-old man died after suffering a cardiac arrest during the 11th edition of La Pyrénéenne race in the city’s 20th arrondissement. Emergency services were unable to revive the runner, who was already in cardiorespiratory arrest upon their arrival.
“This was supposed to be a moment of celebration, but immense sadness overwhelms us,” Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire wrote on social media platform X, confirming the fatality. The victim was reportedly running to support the association Les Petits Princes and was described by those close to him as a regular, well-trained runner.
Heatwave and Safety Under Scrutiny
While firefighters have not yet formally linked the death to the scorching temperatures suffocating the capital, the incident occurred amid an unseasonable heatwave and an ozone pollution episode making air quality dangerously poor. The 10-kilometer race features a challenging 120 meters of positive elevation gain.
Local mayor Éric Pliez noted that a portion of the route was shaded and highlighted the event’s extensive safety measures. “We mobilize 300 people, with 250 marshals, 24 security agents, 10 municipal police officers in support, anti-intrusion vehicles, three refreshment points along the route, and regular water spraying,” an event organizer told Le Parisien, insisting that the “maximum” was being done for safety. This marks the second consecutive year the race has been marred by tragedy; a non-running companion died during the 2024 edition.
Multiple Hospitalizations Across Île-de-France
The Paris fatality was not an isolated incident. In Maisons-Alfort, southeast of the capital, sixteen participants in the “La Maisonnaise” races were hospitalized on Sunday. Firefighters confirmed a direct link between the extreme heat and these hospitalizations, with ten people classified as absolute emergencies, though their lives are not in danger. Municipal authorities immediately halted the race at the request of emergency services.
Further south, in the Alpes-Maritimes region, three runners participating in La Ronde des plages were hospitalized in serious condition, according to firefighters. The combination of excessively high May temperatures and poor air quality created perilous conditions for outdoor endurance events across the country.
