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A SHANGHAI International Marathon competitor got a heart scare during the race yesterday, and was attended by doctors who were taking part in the event.

The incident happened around 9:40am along Longhua Road E. in Xuhui District. The runner was immediately attended by volunteers and medical staff on standby. They got help from a group of doctors, some of them cardiac specialists from Zhongshan Hospital. They were at the scene to cheer their colleagues who were competing in the race or planned to run the last leg of the race.

Wei Lai, a doctor at the hospital’s cardiothoracic surgery department, said he and his colleagues were running along Longhua Road E. when they heard people calling for help. “We heard people shouting behind us that someone was down and they were looking for doctors,” Wei told Shanghai Daily.

They rushed to the spot and found the 26-year-old male, identified as Han Huohuo, receiving emergency treatment by medical staff. “We were wearing T-shirts with the hospital’s name, so they let us check him,” Wei said.

According to Wei, Han was struggling to breathe while his heart beat was almost negligible.

Wei and his colleagues helped with cardiac defibrillation and intravenous infusion. He recovered consciousness and was immediately rushed to Shanghai No. 6 People’s Hospital. He was discharged from the hospital later in the day.

Wei said such incidents happen when athletes compete in a long distance race without proper and systematic training. He also gave the thumbs up to the organizers for arranging all necessary medical equipment along the route.

The marathon organizers had arranged for a total of 25 medical stations and 22 ambulances along the route and at major spots this year to ensure the safety of the competitors.

The 20th edition of the Shanghai International Marathon attracted 35,000 competitors who defied the wet chill and foggy conditions to take part in the race. Kenya’s Paul Kipchumba Lonyangata set an event record to take the men’s honor while compatriot Nguriatukei Rael Kiyara took the women’s title.

Lonyangata’s time of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 14 seconds was an event record, besting last year’s record by one and a half minutes. Last year’s winner Stephen Mokoka from South Africa came in second in 2:07:40, followed by Shura Kitata Tola of Ethiopia clocking 2:08:53.

“It was a surprising win for me as I suffered an injury in my right ankle two weeks ago,” said Lonyangata. “Yesterday’s weather was bad, but today when the race started, it was perfect, similar to the climate that I’m used to in Kenya.

“This is also my best running time, and I’ll definitely come back next year,” said the Kenyan, who pocketed US$45,000 in prize money, plus an extra US$10,000 for breaking the record.

Kiyara won the women’s crown in 2 hours, 26 minutes and 23 seconds, followed by Ethiopians Letebrhan Haylay Gebreslasea (2:28:11) and Rahma Tusa (2:33:57).

The annual event featured the 42.2-kilometer full marathon, the 21km half marathon, 10km race and 5km mini race. Among the 35,000 runners, 6,276 were foreign participants from 85 countries and regions, including 34 high level competitors invited by the organizers from countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Turkey, Tanzania and South Africa.

Former Olympic hurdler and world champion and a Shanghai native Liu Xiang needed 58 minutes to finish his first 10km race.

“I was not sure (about myself) at the beginning. It feels good to run along with others. It turned out to be easier than I imagined,” Liu said.

The hurdler said he had been running two to three times a week to stay fit. Liu retired in April this year.

The competitors were greeted by light drizzle when they took off from the Bund. The air quality was registered as “good,” with Air Quality Index reading between 50 to 70 in the morning. The temperature was reported to be 14 to 16 degrees Celsius during the race, and was considered by many runners as a suitable weather condition for marathon.

“The temperature was pleasant as hot weather could have made things much more difficult for long distance runners,” Mexican participant Maria Angeles Santos told Shanghai Daily. The 30-year-old engineer was competing for the second time in the Shanghai International Marathon. Santos completed the half marathon in 2 hours and 4 minutes.

“I could have done better, as I beat the time of 2 hours in 2013. I could not train well because of work this year,” she said. “The race routes covered the Bund, Nanjing Road E. and W., Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Jing’an Temple, Xintiandi, and Longhua Temple. Both the full and half marathon races ended at the Shanghai Stadium.

According to the organizers, Shanghai East Best Lansheng Event Management Company, 89.4 percent of the 15,000 full marathon runners completed the race, while 97.6 percent of the 8,000 half marathon runners managed to cross the finish line. Over 3,000 volunteers, including medical staff, referee and pacers ensured the six-hour event was a success. Some of the volunteers showed up as early as 2am.

Ye Luofeng, a sports teacher from Changxing Middle School, was among the 150 pacers. Pacers, also dubbed “rabbits,” provide time reference to runners, and are required to complete a certain distance clocking an assigned time. Ye was wearing a tag on his shirt reading “half marathon, 1:45”. He was supposed to complete the 21km half marathon in 1 hour and 45 minutes, and runners had to follow his pace to complete the distance in a similar time.

“It is not difficult as I’m a professional,” said the 25-year-old, who took part in last year’s event as a 10km runner.

“To be a pacer is another way to participate in Shanghai International Marathon, which is even more meaningful.”