French Runner Alessia Zarbo Collapses During 10,000-Meter Final in Alarming Moment at Paris Olympics: ‘Oh My God’

Mar. 15, 2025

Alessia Zarbo of Team France on Aug. 9, 2024.Photo:Christian Petersen/Getty; Richard Heathcote/Getty

Christian Petersen/Getty; Richard Heathcote/Getty

An alarming moment during theParis Olympicswomen’s 10,000-meter final unfolded when French runnerAlessia Zarbocollapsed onto the track in front of a home crowd.

As her competitors rounded a corner to complete lap 21 of 25 around the 26-minute mark of the race on Friday, Aug. 9, medical personnel could be seen assisting the 22-year-old athlete in lanes three and four.

“Oh my God,” an NBC announcer said after noticing the fallen Olympian as the lead pack passed her and the medics from the inside lanes.

France’sRMC Sportreported that Zarbo “is feeling better and recovering.”

Medics assist Alessia Zarbo, who collapsed, on Aug. 9, 2024.Richard Heathcote/Getty

Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi of Team Kenya leads the pack as Alessia Zarbo of Team France receives medical attention in the Women’s 10,000m Final on day fourteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 09, 2024 in Paris, France

Richard Heathcote/Getty

Although Zarbo — a former French national champion in both the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter distances — did not finish this Olympic race, she has a previous personal best of 32:28.57 that she set in 2022.

On Friday, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet won the Olympic 10,000-meter final with a blistering time of 30:43.25, earning her second gold in Paris following her5,000-meter wina few days earlier on Aug. 5.

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti and Dutch star Sifan Hassan, the defending champion in this race, finished with silver and bronze.

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Alessia Zarbo lies on the track after collapsing on Aug. 9, 2024.ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty

France’s Alessia Zarbo receives medical attention as she lies on the track in the women’s 10000m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 9, 2024

ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty

Zarbo was the second athlete stretchered off the track in as many days. On Wednesday, Aug. 7, Ethiopian runner Lamecha Girma was medically removed from the raceafter tripping on the third-to-last barrier.

source: people.com

French Runner Alessia Zarbo Collapses During 10,000-Meter Final in Alarming Moment at Paris Olympics: ‘Oh My God’

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