Woman, 24, dies running NYC Marathon for first time, collapses 3 miles from finish line

A 24-year-old woman visiting New York City to run her first marathon collapsed and died less than three miles from the Central Park finish line, police sources said Tuesday.

Rachel Apa, 24, of Lewisburg, Pa., collapsed as she neared the 24-mile mark of the New York City marathon about 1:40 p.m. Sunday, officials said.

Medics rushed her to Mount Sinai Hospital but she could not be saved.

Apa ran as part of the Parkinson’s Champions team in honor of her late grandfather, who suffered from the disease before his death in 2022.

“My grandfather was my role model growing up,” she wrote on her fundraising page. “He taught me to stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges, shaping my love for sports and movement.”

The city Medical Examiner’s initial autopsy was inconclusive, with more tests now needed to determine her cause of death, a spokesperson for the agency said.