June 02, 2021
A handout photo. 21 people died during a 100km ultramarathon race in Baiyin, China when severe weather struck.
South China Morning Post
On May 22, during a 100km mountain cross-country competition in Baiyin, Gansu province, 21 of China s top runners died after being caught in a sudden storm and freezing temperatures. The tragedy shocked China and the rest of the world.
The local government, which organised the race, has been heavily criticised by the public for not providing enough emergency equipment, chaotic event management, and for not releasing details of the victims in a timely manner.
During the tragedy, there were local grass roots efforts to rescue runners trapped during the storm and since then there have been further efforts to commemorate the victims. China s running community was shocked by the disaster and the loss of life in an event not normally considered fatal.