A 36-year-old software engineer collapsed and died shortly after finishing a full marathon at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday morning. The deceased is Kommineni Gopi, who worked with IBM. He had just completed the 42.2-km run.
Gopi took part in the eighth edition of the Hyderabad Hi-Tech Full Marathon. He finished the race and collected his finisher’s medal. Moments later, he collapsed while walking towards the breakfast area.
Event organisers rushed to help him and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They then moved him to a nearby private hospital. Doctors declared him dead at around 8.45 am.
“Preliminary information suggests that he suffered a heart attack,” Gachibowli police said. A post-mortem examination has been initiated to establish the exact cause of death.
Gopi lived in Alkapur Colony in Manikonda, Cyberabad. He hailed from Ravinuthala village in Khammam district and had settled in Hyderabad with his family. According to his family and friends, he was a fitness enthusiast who took on the full marathon challenge.
Gopi is survived by his wife and their three-year-old child. His death has left his family, colleagues and fellow running enthusiasts in shock. The incident has also raised questions about medical preparedness, emergency response and post-race monitoring at endurance sporting events.
