Marathon participant seriously injured by falling tree

A person was seriously injured on Sunday, October 25, when a tree fell on the course of the Lille marathon, according to AFP, citing information from the prefecture of the Nord and emergency services. The incident occurred at Avenue Léon Jouhaux in Lille, near the start of the race, around the fifth kilometer.

Injured runner taken to hospital

Emergency services reported that the injured person was taken to the hospital, though details about their condition were not immediately released. A 25-year-old man was later identified as the participant who suffered the injury.

First Lille marathon in 31 years

According to La Voix du Nord, the injured man was participating in the Lille marathon, which marked the first edition of the event since its cancellation 31 years ago. The race organizer confirmed to AFP that the man's life is not in danger.

Race continued after incident

The prefecture stated that the accident did not disrupt the marathon, as loggers were deployed to clear and secure the course after the incident. The race proceeded without further issues.

Storm caused earlier disruptions

The Nord department had been placed on orange wind alert on Friday due to the passage of storm Austen, which caused significant transport disruptions and power outages in northern and western France.