Participants report heat exhaustion, vomiting; no serious injuries
Organizers say they prepared 1.7 times more water than last year
Ulsan city to probe race management
![Ulsan Fire Department paramedics treat a runner who collapsed from exhaustion during the 2026 Ulsan Marathon at Ulsan Stadium on Sunday morning. [Ulsan Fire Department]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/10/11/rcv.YNA.20261011.PYH2026101105910005700_P1.jpg)
Twenty-one participants at a marathon in Ulsan were taken to hospital after suffering heat exhaustion, high fever, vomiting and other symptoms. Some runners said water ran out at aid stations along the course, prompting the city to investigate whether the event was managed properly.
According to the Ulsan Fire Department, emergency calls began coming in around 11 a.m. Sunday reporting participants in the 2026 Ulsan Marathon experiencing dizziness, vomiting, high fever, general weakness, leg cramps and fainting.
Fire authorities dispatched both public and private ambulances to transport the patients to hospitals across the city. As of 2:30 p.m. Sunday, a total of 21 participants had been taken to hospital — 15 by public ambulance and six by private ambulance.
Most showed symptoms of heat exhaustion, and none were reported to be in serious condition. Separately, five other participants who complained of dizziness and headaches received on-site first aid.
Temperatures in Ulsan that day were above seasonal norms. The Ulsan Meteorological Observatory recorded 26.8 degrees Celsius at 11 a.m.
The race, organized by the Ulsan City Athletics Federation, was held across three courses — a half marathon, a 10-kilometer run and a 5-kilometer run — and drew about 10,000 participants.
After the incidents, some participants said they were unable to hydrate properly because water had run out at aid stations along the course.
According to the city, the federation reported after the race that it had prepared 1.7 times more bottled water than last year but that the supply still fell short due to abnormally high temperatures.
Ulsan city said it plans to work with relevant agencies to examine whether there were any problems in the race's management, including water preparation and on-site response.
Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-uk said on SNS that "regardless of the reason, the very fact that this happened is something we must reflect on and take responsibility for," adding that the city would "pay special attention to safety at races and events."
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