The emergency response deployed for the recent Zurich Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Madrid reported a total of 244 medical assists. The event, marked by temperatures exceeding 25 degrees Celsius, resulted in one participant being hospitalized in serious condition and nearly thirty transfers to various hospitals in the capital.
The most severe incident involved a 50-year-old runner who collapsed during the race due to heatstroke. After initial emergency intervention, Samur-Protección Civil personnel transported him to the advanced medical post in the Colón area. Given the severity of his condition, the medical team stabilized and intubated him before evacuating him to Hospital Clínico San Carlos, where he remains hospitalized with a reserved prognosis.
In total, 24 participants required transfer to hospitals due to the seriousness of their clinical conditions. Most of the assistance provided by over 200 Samur professionals was prompted by adverse weather conditions for an endurance event, primarily addressing cases of fainting, syncope, extreme exhaustion, and severe muscle cramps.
To provide coverage along the route, three strategic medical attention centers were established in Recoletos, Colón, and Casa de Campo. This operation allowed for an immediate response to the high demand for aid in an edition that broke participation records with 47,000 registered athletes.
“"This event represents a model of city celebration, highlighting its inclusive and global nature."
Despite the health incidents, the delegate councilor for Sports, Sonia Cea, highlighted the event's value as a "city celebration." After signaling the start for the three categories (42, 21, and 10 kilometers), Cea emphasized the inclusive and global nature of the race, which this year attracted over 10,000 international runners from 110 different nations. Madrid's consolidation as a global running hub is also reflected in the participants' origins: in addition to the large foreign turnout, more than a quarter of registered participants traveled from other autonomous communities in Spain to complete an event that filled the streets of the capital's center with sport and physical exertion.
