Tributes are paid to tragic runner
Family pays tribute to 58-year-old
DEATH: The 58-year-old man who died during the Great North Run was a “regular runner” who had taken part in the race many times before. Tributes have been paid to David Colley from Hull, who died on Sunday.
THE MAN who died during the Great North Run was a “regular runner” who had completed the race many times before.
Tributes have been paid to David Colley from Hull, who died on Sunday.
The 58-year-old collapsed in the last mile of the half marathon as he approached the finish line in South Shields.
Race organisers said he was attended to immediately by emergency services but a post-mortem examination concluded he died of natural causes.
Mr Colley had competed in the Great North Run several times in the last 10 years.
A statement from Mr Colley’s family said: “David was a regular runner who loved taking part in the Great North Run and always looked forward to the event. “We are absolutely devastated.” They also expressed their gratitude for the many messages of sympathy and support they have received, and they requested pri- vacy as they try to come to terms with their loss.
Following the news of his death on Sunday, organisers said they deeply regretted the loss of life and offered their condolences to the family.
A spokesman said: “The Great Run Company deeply regrets the loss of life of a participant at the Great North Run today and offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of the individual.”
Britain’s biggest race saw 57,000 people take part on Sunday.
The race sees runners make their way through the streets of Newcastle, over the Tyne Bridge into Gateshead and then out to South Shields on the coast.
The event was first held in 1981 with 12,000 runners in the field but has grown to become one of the biggest races and fundraising events in the country.
This year’s event is expected to have helped raise around £25m by those taking part for charity,
The race was won for a second year by the Olympic and World champion distance runner Mo Farah in a time of 59 minutes and 22 seconds, making it the fastest half-marathon by a British athlete. Further success came for Britain with David Weir winning the men’s wheelchair race and Shelly Woods taking the women’s wheelchair crown.
Kenya’s Mary Keitany won the women’s elite race in a time of 1hr 7min and 32 seconds.
Last year it became the first mass participation run in the world to have its millionth competitor cross the line.