Runner Rachel Apa dies after collapsing near mile 24 of NYC Marathon

Rachel Apa died after collapsing near mile 24 of the New York City Marathon. She was 24 years old.

Emergency medical workers took Apa to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she died hours later. NBC News reported that her cause of death was rhabdomyolysis.

Apa ran the marathon for the Parkinson’s Foundation in honor of her grandfather. The race was her first marathon, and she had previously played Division I field hockey at Bucknell University.

The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon took place on Nov. 1. New York Road Runners recorded 61,146 finishers, making it the first marathon to pass 60,000 finishers, according to the organization.

The event also marked the 50th anniversary of the marathon’s five-borough course. Apa’s death came as the race drew tens of thousands of participants across New York City.

The available reporting identifies rhabdomyolysis as the cause of death and confirms that Apa was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital after her collapse. Her charity effort connected her participation in the marathon to Parkinson’s disease research and her grandfather’s memory.