It is such a sad thing to hear of, and even sadder when it happens to a dear friend.
The runner who died in 2008 was a top student who touched many, many lives. There is now an athletic award given in his honor.
There have been some challenges from the community, that emergency aid does not arrive quickly enough at that race. But in the case of one death, there were several medical personnel (doctors and nurses) running along next to the runner. That runner received CPR within seconds of having a problem. But CPR will only buy time or save some, not all.
It sounds like you doubt he had a heart condition? 'They claim'?
There are a great many heart conditions that go undetected. Some, because young folks often don't get detailed physicals, some, because certain conditions are just hard to detect. Some...because much of the time, even when tested, a diseased heart can appear to be healthy.
And sometimes...because the person chooses knowing there are risks, how he wants to live his life. That's precious little consolation for a grieving friend or family.
Ryan Shay was 28 and collapsed at the 5 1/2 mile point in an Olympic trial race. When Ryan was 14, when Ryan had already been running seriously for a year or two, his doctor found Ryan had an enlarged heart - not the usual adaptation to exercise, I take it, but a pathological enlargement. The doctor was concerned and stated that it needed to be monitored. Ryan's father also stated that a few months before the tragedy, a doctor told Ryan he would need a pacemaker in the future.
Ryan's coach stated he knew nothing about any of this. His coach and his team mates said during training, he never complained of any pain, arhythmia or anything that would suggest a heart problem. Ryan Shay had both an enlarged heart that he had known about for fourteen years, and a problem with the rhythm his heart beat in that he had been warned of several months before the tragedy. It appears that he chose to go ahead with intense marathon training, knowing all of that.
Ryan's father seemed to know about the problems, but in interviews, wasn't asked if he tried to stop Ryan. My own thought is that a young athlete like Ryan often wouldn't listen to a parent's worries.
I think each situation is probably different. I'm sure some people really do not know they have a heart condition. While heart disease causes many sudden deaths, some heart conditions listed on the registry are very hard to detect - Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, Long QT Syndrome, Brugada Syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. In other cases it is exercise-induced coronary spasm, a heart block or asystole.
My dad had a complete A-V nodal block. His heart tested out completely normal. The trouble was in the nerves that signal the heart.
Some causes are unrelated to heart - the registry lists exercise-induced asthma and respiratory arrest, exercise-induced anaphylaxis, sarcoidosis, malignant hyperthermia, heat stroke, sickle cell trait, gastrointestinal bleeding, and others.
The registry for sudden death in athletes, has links to many articles and statistics. About the only thing anyone can offer a grieving friend, other than heartfelt sympathies. What a terrible shame to lose a beloved friend.
www.suddendeathathletes.org
