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At Least 21 Runners Freeze to Death As Freak Weather Hits China Ultra-Marathon: Officials

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Twenty-one people, including two of China’s top marathon athletes, died after freezing rain and high winds struck a 62-mile ultramarathon in northwestern China, local officials said on Sunday.

Two of China’s top elite runners were among 21 who died at the start of an ultra marathon in Gansu. Runners were just a few hours in when rain turned to hail and strong winds blasted through some of the most challenging parts of the race course.

Some Chinese media are beginning to provide harrowing accounts from runners and eye witnesses. Blame is being directed at the local government that organized the event.

One runner’s call to turn around saved his life bc the race wasn’t called off until later. “At that time, I couldn’t see the way down the mountain. Many runners were lying on the side of the track. Some of them might have died.” via The Paper

editor
Abel Mavura is a journalist, editor, and writer whose work explores the intersections of cities, migration, and social justice. He tells stories about how people move, survive, and remake urban life under conditions of precarity, drawing on close field engagement and lived experience. Trained as a journalist at the Christian College of Southern Africa, Abel’s early work was rooted in media practice and community storytelling. Over time, his focus expanded into research and critical inquiry, allowing his writing to move fluidly between reportage, analysis, and long-form reflection. He is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris and is currently pursuing research at the University of Cambridge, where his work builds on earlier research into migration and informal housing. Abel is the author of three books, and his writing has appeared across platforms ranging from grassroots and community radio to international and policy-facing spaces. His work is grounded in clarity, ethical storytelling, and a commitment to centring voices often left out of mainstream narratives.

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