2007 渣打香港馬拉松 HK marathon

新華社
xinhua news agency

　　新華網香港３月４日體育專電（記者葛華）在４日舉行的渣打香港馬拉松賽上，有６千余人向救護站求助，其中有１名參賽者受重傷，目前昏迷不醒。

　　據醫療輔助隊透露，本屆馬拉松賽截至中午１２時半，共有６２４９名參賽者向２２個救護站求助，其中９成都是抽筋，但也有４５５名選手受傷，其中３４名被送

　　往醫院，目前有一位傷者情況嚴重，昏迷不醒，在香港律敦治醫院接受搶救。

　　香港渣打國際馬拉松賽吸引著越來越多國際好手參賽的同時，在當地也吸引著越來越多的馬拉松愛好者。報名參賽者從２００４年的２．５萬人，增至２００５年的３．１萬人；去年參賽人數達到４萬人，但也就是在去年，渣打馬拉松賽全程有４８００多名選手出現抽筋和其他傷病，並有２名選手賽後人事不省，最後１人死亡。而今年的報名參賽者創下歷史新高，達到近４.４萬人。

　　當天的比賽結束後，有許多參賽者批評比賽路線，他們認為西隧那段賽程空氣不流通，給選手帶來很多問題。但賽會籌委會主席高威林表示，賽會已提前加強了西隧的通風系統，賽會並未收到該方面的任何投訴。但他表示，他們會檢討比賽路線的設置安排。

By AFP

HONG KONG, March 4, 2007 (AFP) - One runner was in critical condition on Sunday after tens of thousands braved steamy conditions and pollution warnings to take part in the annual Hong Kong marathon.

"There is one male patient whose condition is critical," a Hospital Authority spokeswoman told AFP. Five other patients were in a stable or satisfactory condition, she said.

Organising committee chairman William Ko earlier said the male runner was "considered rather serious" but did not have further details. Thirty-four people needed hospital treatment, he added.

A 53-year-old man collapsed and died and about 5,000 needed medical treatment during last year's race, which took place in high levels of pollution.

Ko hit back at one leading expert who warned athletes were risking serious heart problems by running in Hong Kong's notorious smog.

"That to me was a negative approach," he said. "Our positive approach is very simple -- we advised to have better training and better preparation for the race.

"This year the situation was miles better than last year."

Pollution levels hovered at medium to high according to Hong Kong's air pollution index, which green groups have criticised for being out of date.

Relative humidity reached 95 percent in temperatures of about 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit).

A record 43,956 runners entered the 10km, half-marathon and marathon events. Kenyan athletes finished first, second and third in both the men's and women's marathons.

Steven Loruo Kamar won the men's event in 2:17.03 sec and Rose Kembo Nyangacha was the fastest woman in 2:38.19.

Worsening air pollution has become a key political and social issue in the southern Chinese territory bordering Guangdong, one of the mainland's major industrial areas.