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Notre Dame Track Star Dies During Olympic Marathon Trials in NYC

28-year-old Ryan Shay won the Irish their first national individual track title in 2001.  He collapsed this morning 5.5 miles into the Beijing Olympics marathon trials in Central Park and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

"He was a tremendous champion who was here today to pursue his dreams," said Craig Masback, chief executive of U.S. track and field's governing body. "The Olympic trials is traditionally a day of celebration, but we are heartbroken."

Shay was a favorite going into the 2004 trials but was hampered by a hamstring strain and finished 23rd. He was the 2003 U.S. marathon champion and was third at this year's U.S. 25K championships. He also won the U.S. half marathon in 2003 and 2004. He was the NCAA 10,000-meter champion in 2001, the first national individual title in track for Notre Dame.

Shay was the U.S. 20,000-meters (20K) road racing champion in 2004, making him a four-time national champion.

The big marathons (including New York) with tens of thousands of runners regularly have at least one death, but today's event was only for the very elite - just 160 runners.  No cause of death was announced.

Update:  According to Shay's father, he had been diagnosed with an enlarged heart, but was cleared to run in Saturday's race.

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Notre Dame Track Star Dies During Olympic Marathon Trials in NYC

28-year-old Ryan Shay won the Irish their first national individual track title in 2001.  He collapsed this morning 5.5 miles into the Beijing Olympics marathon trials in Central Park and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

"He was a tremendous champion who was here today to pursue his dreams," said Craig Masback, chief executive of U.S. track and field's governing body. "The Olympic trials is traditionally a day of celebration, but we are heartbroken."

Shay was a favorite going into the 2004 trials but was hampered by a hamstring strain and finished 23rd. He was the 2003 U.S. marathon champion and was third at this year's U.S. 25K championships. He also won the U.S. half marathon in 2003 and 2004. He was the NCAA 10,000-meter champion in 2001, the first national individual title in track for Notre Dame.

Shay was the U.S. 20,000-meters (20K) road racing champion in 2004, making him a four-time national champion.

The big marathons (including New York) with tens of thousands of runners regularly have at least one death, but today's event was only for the very elite - just 160 runners.  No cause of death was announced.

Update:  According to Shay's father, he had been diagnosed with an enlarged heart, but was cleared to run in Saturday's race.