A MAN in his 50s has died after he collapsed during the Belfast Marathon today.
The runner encountered difficulties at around the sixth mile, near Victoria Park in east Belfast.
He was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in west Belfast, where he later died.
A statement from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said: "The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 9:55 on Monday 7 June to report that a male runner, approx 50 years old, in the Belfast Marathon had collapsed on the Sydenham Bypass.
Former Lord Mayor Brian Kingston spoke with eloquence and sympathy on @BBCevex about terrible death of competitor in today’s Belfast Marathon. He speaks for everyone who loves running in extending thoughts, prayers and solidarity to family of runner who died. #BelfastCityMarathon
— Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (@newbelfast) May 7, 2018
"NIAS were on scene within four minutes having dispatched a rapid response paramedic and an accident and emergency crew.
"The patient was assessed and, following initial treatment at the scene, he was brought by ambulance to RVH."
A post-mortem examination is expected to be carried out later to establish the man's cause of death.
He was among 17,000 competitors who took part in the 37th annual Belfast City Marathon - which was won by Kenya's Eric Koech.
Last month, former MasterChef semi-finalist Matt Campbell, 29, collapsed at the London Marathon and later died in hospital.
He had been running in memory of his late father, Martin, who died in 2016.
