Tejal Somvanshi
Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old runner, died on Sunday after collapsing near mile 24 of the 2026 New York City Marathon inside Central Park. She was transported to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Her father, Steve Apa, told NBC News that the cause of death was rhabdomyolysis — a condition in which muscle tissue breaks down rapidly and releases proteins into the bloodstream, placing severe strain on the kidneys.
Rhabdomyolysis develops when muscles sustain extreme physical stress over a sustained period, triggering the release of myoglobin — a protein found in muscle fibres — into the bloodstream. When myoglobin accumulates in the kidneys faster than they can filter it, acute kidney injury can result. The condition is distinct from a cardiac event. Her family identified rhabdomyolysis as the cause of death in their statement to NBC News.
Rachel Apa was a former Division I field hockey player at Bucknell University. The New York City Marathon was her first. She was running to raise money for Parkinson’s research and had spent months training for the event. The race took place on November 1, 2026, organized by New York Road Runners.
New York Road Runners confirmed they were deeply saddened by her death and extended condolences to her family and to everyone who knew her. NYRR did not address changes to race-day medical protocols in their initial public statement.
The 2026 New York City Marathon brought tens of thousands of runners through all five boroughs of New York City. Medical teams are stationed at regular intervals along the course and at the finish line inside Central Park. Mile 24 falls inside the park, in the northern section of the East Drive loop, as the course turns south toward the finish near Tavern on the Green.
The medical examiner’s office has not issued an independent determination of cause of death. Steve Apa’s statement to NBC News identified rhabdomyolysis as the cause, and that remains the only confirmed information as of this publication. Questions about the specific circumstances of her collapse — including conditions on the course, her hydration, and her preparation — have not been publicly addressed.
Her family has not announced arrangements for a public memorial. Apa’s death drew wide attention to the range of medical events that can occur in the later miles of a marathon and to the risks that extreme endurance effort can carry for first-time competitors.
