I could have died in Rio: Marathon runner Jaisha

TIL Desk Sports/ “I could have died there”, said a distraught O P Jaisha as she recalled the women’s marathon event at Rio Olympics during which she claimed she was not provided any water and energy drinks by the officials despite designated stations were given for India.

“It was very hot there. The competition was at 9am, I ran in scorching heat. There was no water for us, neither recovery drinks nor food. Only once in 8kms did we get water (from the Rio organisers) which did not help at all. All the countries had their stalls at every 2kms but our country’s stall was empty,” said Jaisha who finished 89th in Rio Olympics women’s marathon event with a below-par timing of 2:47:19.

Jaisha had collapsed at the finish line after completing the marathon and had to be rushed to a hospital where her coach Nikolai Snesarev got into an altercation with one of the doctors and ended up being detained for half a day by the local police.