A reminder of just how dangerous the staging of field events can be comes to us from Duesseldorf, Germany, where 74-year-old official Dieter Strack died early this morning after a javelin struck him in the neck late yesterday during a youth track meet.
The competition was ended immediately after the accident, and the 15-year-old athlete who threw the javelin is receiving counseling, according to an Associated Press report.
An athletics association serving Duesseldorf and Neuss stated on its website, "The popular and experienced sports judge was the victim of a tragic accident while carrying out his duties on Aug. 26. All of us who were there are horrified and in shock."
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Richard McKay
October 7, 2024
