A dental surgeon in Goa died of a massive heart attack hours after completing a 20-mile (32 km) marathon, said his father on Thursday. Mithun Kudalkar, 39, from Vasco city in south Goa died on Sunday, said his father Dynaneshwar Kudalkar, who is former chief medical officer of Mormugao Port Trust hospital.
Mithun felt uneasy after participating in the Goa River Marathon on Sunday, his father told PTI. "He died of a massive heart attack at home after completing the 21-mile event. Mithun had left home that day at 3:30 am to participate in the race," he said.
The father also said that his son was a regular at marathons and had taken part in such competitions in several cities, including Mangaluru.
After he felt uneasy, the medical team stationed there checked him, and he was fine, Kudalkar said. However, after returning home, he complained of "discomfort" in his shoulder and stomach and said he wanted to rest, Kudalkar told the Indian Express.
He went to sleep and some time later vomited, drank some water and then collapsed on the bed.
"We are all doctors in the family…so we tried giving him CPR, but he was not responding. We rushed him to a hospital in Chicalim, where he was declared brought dead. I think he suffered a massive heart attack, nothing else,” Kudalkar said.
The deceased doctor's friend and running partner Jitendra Dhyani, who also participated in the marathon said Kudalkar was doing fine during the marathon waiting for him at the finish line.
"We competed in different categories. I was in the full marathon [42.2 km]. During the race, we crossed each other twice and he was absolutely fine," Dhyani said.
"He finished his race and when I reached the finish line, he was waiting there for me. I saw him take photographs of his wife and son, who had also participated in the 5-km category. Later, he complained of acidity and was assessed by the medical staff at the venue. But he was declared fit and he went home," he added.
Kudalkar described himself as an “avid half marathoner, cyclist and a club badminton player” on his Instagram page. He is survived by his wife and their eight-year-old son.