Runner Who Died Had Enlarged Heart

Family, friends await final autopsy results for 28-year-old marathoner
By Laurel Jorgensen,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 5, 2007 5:34 PM CST
Runner Who Died Had Enlarged Heart
Brian Sell reacts after a statement is made about Ryan Shay during a news conference after the 2008 Olympic team trials for the Marathon Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007, in New York. Ryan Shay died during the U.S. men's Olympic marathon trials Saturday after collapsing about 5 1/2 miles into the race. He was...   (Associated Press)

The long-distance champion runner who died during last weekend’s Olympic marathon trials in New York City was diagnosed as a teenager with an enlarged heart – a common condition among top athletes. Ryan Shay’s father said his son’s heart problem was checked several times and he was consistently cleared for competition, reports the New York Times.

Results from yesterday’s autopsy on the 28-year-old may not be final until the end of the week, a spokeswoman for NYC’s medical examiner said. Shay’s friend Ryan Hall, who won the qualifier, remembered their Friday jog. “If I had known that was his last day, I’d have savored that run a lot more than I did,” Hall said. (More marathon trials stories.)

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