ALMOST €5,000 has been donated to the heart charity of the Dublin City Marathon runner who died yesterday in just 24 hours.

Ricki Savage (26) was running the marathon as part of his bid to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation.

Mr Savage had just finished the race when he suffered a suspected heart attack at Merrion Square after completing the 26.2-mile run in three hours and 10 minutes.

His donation page was re-opened on justgiving.com yesterday in tribute and donations have almost hit €5,000 in 24 hours.

Many fellow marathon runners who didn't know Mr Savage have made donations.

He was treated at the scene by members of the St John's Ambulance before being transferred to St Vincent's Hospital.

His athletics club in the UK said news of his sudden death had left them "deeply shocked".

Derek Sackett, president of the Thanet Roadrunners Athletics Club, said Mr Savage had followed a rigorous training routine in the months leading up to the race.

PARENTS

"His heart stopped at the finish line. The paramedics worked on him for over 40 minutes before getting him to hospital, but unfortunately he lost his fight to live.

"We'd like to express our gratitude for their work and for doing all they could," he told the Irish Independent.

"It was his first marathon but he was a very competent runner and had done long distances before that. We're all devastated."

Mr Savage, from Ramsgate in Kent, had travelled with a friend on Monday to take part in the race and raise money for the charity.

His parents had maintained a vigil at his hospital bedside since he took ill.

The organisers of the Airtricity Dublin Marathon issued a statement about the tragedy last night.

"Ricki Savage, a 27-year-old English runner, collapsed at the finish line on Monday and was immediately treated by the St John’s Ambulance medical crew on site. He was then transferred by ambulance to St. Vincent’s Hospital where he remained in a stable but very serious condition until he passed away earlier this afternoon.

"We would like to commend the St. John’s Ambulance medical team and all those in St. Vincent’s who looked after Mr. Savage and express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased," the statement said.

By Mark O'Regan

Irish Independent