A 50-year-old runner died at the Minsk Half Marathon. Here's what is known about Aliaksei Dashynevich
The athlete felt unwell after running 12 kilometers.
According to witnesses, the tragedy occurred not far from the Palace of the Republic — near the water distribution point. Aliaksei Dashynevich simply collapsed onto the asphalt. Several other half-marathon participants immediately ran to the man and began to resuscitate him themselves.
An ambulance was promptly called. Concerned runners performed indirect heart massage for about 7-8 minutes until the medics arrived. At that moment, Aliaksei was still alive. When the man was transferred to the ambulance, he had a pulse. The athletes who helped him were confident until the end that they had saved his life.
Aliaksei Dashynevich. Photo: Belpol.pro
Aliaksei's acquaintances say that he felt good before the start, and looked energetic for at least the first kilometer of the course.
The Minsk Half Marathon website indicates that the man, bib number 2292, managed to run 12.1 kilometers in 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 28 seconds.
This was not the man's first race; he trained a lot and ran long distances. In general, Aliaksei led a healthy lifestyle, didn't drink, and didn't smoke.
Aliaksei Dashynevich was an engineer. He worked at the company «Armad», and before that, he was the director of the capital's Housing and Utility Services Office (ZHEHS) No. 119.
Aliaksei's wife learned the terrible news only when, after many hours of unsuccessful searching for her husband, she contacted the police.
Unfortunately, such incidents at sporting events occur regularly. Even yesterday there were other cases when runners needed medical assistance. And in 2019, at the Ecomarathon in Gomel, Yury Blinov, a 43-year-old pianist and one of the founders of the «Krumkachy» football club, died. He was also an experienced athlete, running long distances — but on that fateful day, he couldn't reach the finish line, literally five meters away.