A participant in Cardiff’s half marathon tragically died after collapsing at the finish line, Run 4 Wales has confirmed. In a statement, the organisation expressed “deep regret” over the death of one of this year’s runners.
Stephen Jenkins, 37, collapsed after completing the race and was immediately attended to by the event’s medical team. He was then transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Organisers described the incident as a “terrible tragedy”, noting that Jenkins had suffered a cardiac arrest.
The Cardiff Half Marathon, which hosted more than 29,000 participants in its largest event to date, saw the streets filled with runners covering the 13-mile route. According to Wales Online, a spokesperson for Run 4 Wales said: “The runner was immediately attended to by the medical emergency team at the finish line before being taken to the University Hospital of Wales, where they later passed away.”
This marks the fourth fatality linked to the Cardiff Half Marathon in recent years. In 2019, Nicholas Beckley, 35, died after collapsing at the finish line. The year before, Ben McDonald, 25, from Cardiff, and Dean Fletcher, 32, from Exeter, both suffered cardiac arrests and died within minutes of each other after completing the race. A coroner later ruled that their deaths were due to natural causes. In response to these tragedies, Run 4 Wales has worked to raise awareness of undiagnosed heart conditions.
Stephen Jenkins’ family has paid tribute to him, calling him a “wonderful father” and a “genuinely kind person”. His parents, Karen and Dyfrig Jenkins described him as “a wonderful son, loving partner, and wonderful father”. Wales online reported that his father stated: “Stephen was a friend to everyone... Stephen was an avid runner and cyclist, with a deep passion for Welsh rugby. He and his grandfather held season tickets near the halfway line at the Principality Stadium and rarely missed a game since the stadium opened. He was also very proud of his Welsh heritage and language. Although his daughter is being raised in Walthamstow, she already speaks some Welsh.”
Matt Newman, the chief executive of Run 4 Wales, expressed his condolences, saying: “The thoughts of everyone connected with the race are with Stephen’s family and friends at this difficult time. The medical team and emergency services responded swiftly and professionally to his collapse at the finish line, and he received specialist care within a minute.” He added, “Run 4 Wales works closely with the bereavement support charity 2Wish, who will continue to support Stephen’s family and friends.”