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Tragedy has struck the international distance running community after the death of popular South Korean athlete and running influencer Yoo Ji-won during the Seoul Race half marathon on Sunday.
The 25-year-old runner and social media star collapsed less than a half-mile from the finish line before she was rushed to a local medical facility where she later passed away.
A race official found Yoo unconscious on a street near the finish line of the 13-mile race and contacted emergency services.
She was given CPR and rushed to hospital, however she never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead soon after.
Authorities have not yet determined the exact cause of her sudden death and the official medical details remain completely unknown at this stage.
The Seoul Race organizing committee issued a formal statement on Monday to confirm the tragedy and express their deep condolences to her family and the wider running public.
“We pray for the repose of the deceased and extend our deepest sympathy to the bereaved family facing this sudden sorrow,” the committee stated.
“We would also like to offer our condolences to the participants, whose hearts must be heavy upon hearing the tragic news of the deceased.
“The organizing committee will closely examine the relevant matters and take necessary follow up measures.”
Fellow runner and friend Bummy detailed the harrowing final moments of the race where he completed his run and noticed a large crowd forming near the finish area.
Assuming a minor injury had occurred on the course he proceeded to the presentation podium to look for his friend before hearing the unsettling news that she had been taken away.
“Near the finish line of the Seoul Race, I saw a crowd gathering and thought someone must have been hurt,” he wrote.
“As soon as I crossed the finish line, I looked for you on the awards podium, but then came the unsettling news, and I began to sense a reality I didn’t want to believe. I dropped everything and rushed to the hospital, hoping to see you one last time, but I am so sorry I couldn’t stay by your side until the very end.”
Yoo was a rising figure in the global amateur running scene who built a loyal audience of more than 9,000 followers on Instagram by documenting her training programs and athletic milestones.
That Instagram page is now filled with devastated comments from fans who are struggling to comprehend the tragedy.
Her regular updates inspired many young athletes across Asia — but away from the track she also pursued a demanding professional career as an artificial intelligence semiconductor researcher at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
Yoo shared her final social media update on October 4 to reveal her finishing time for a recent six mile run.
Supporters flooded the post with tributes following the news of her sudden death.
“I hope you run your heart out in the sky,” one wrote.
“May her soul rest in peace I hope you shine bright up there too,” wrote another.
“Be happy in the sky…. I’m sorry for you,” a third wrote.
“Every time I saw her running in a video, I thought she was an amazing runner,” another added. “I will remember her for a long time to come.”
“I always cheered for you, but today I have to wish you rest in peace,” another posted.
Yoo was an accomplished athlete who had completed the full Seoul Marathon earlier in the year with an impressive time of 2 hours, 56 minutes, and 32 seconds.