Former Bucknell University field hockey player Rachel Apa, 24, died after collapsing during the New York City Marathon on Sunday, according to reports. Apa collapsed just over two miles from the finish line and was transported to a hospital, where she later died. The cause of death was reported as rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition involving the breakdown of muscle tissue that releases damaging proteins into the bloodstream.
Apa was a former student-athlete at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where she competed for the Bison field hockey program. The marathon, one of the world's major road races, draws tens of thousands of participants annually through the five boroughs of New York City.
Medical staff and emergency responders attended to Apa on the course before she was taken for further treatment. Race organizers and medical teams typically station personnel at regular intervals along the 26.2-mile route to monitor runner health and respond to emergencies.
