Participated in her first marathon – and died 3 km before the finish line

Rachel Effa, a 24-year-old woman, collapsed during the New York Marathon about three kilometers before the finish line and died. Her father said she was in perfect health and peak fitness. Cause of death: rhabdomyolysis.

Tragedy at the New York Marathon: Rachel Effa, a 24-year-old woman, collapsed about three kilometers before the finish line in Central Park and died. It was her first marathon. Effa, a former field hockey player, was running in memory of her grandfather who died of Parkinson's disease, as part of the 'Parkinson's Champions' group. Her father said she was in perfect health and peak fitness, and had trained for months. He tracked her via an app and received 'ouch' messages from her at kilometers 29 and 30. Her mother cheered her along the route. A passerby performed CPR, but her death was pronounced at the hospital. The cause of death, according to her father, is rhabdomyolysis – a rare medical condition causing muscle breakdown.