Ebony Track Club's Nicholas Lewis died after collapsing during yesterday's Tru-Juice-sponsored Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) Cross Country Championships in Bog Walk.

Lewis, who is a regular competitor in distance races, had only completed two and a half laps of the senior men's 8K event when the tragic incident happened.

Owen Greaves, who also represents Ebony and was running behind Lewis at the time, explained what happened.

"We were on our way towards the completion of the third lap when he dropped," said Greaves.

"He dropped in front David Rowe and myself," Greaves continued. "We took him off the course and put him under an orange tree, helped to revive him and got him to stand up, after which we told him to take it easy. Then we left and informed officials at the next marker.

"On my way back, I did not see him," said Greaves, who also noted that Lewis "never looked like himself" during his warm-up exercise.

Queried condition

Greaves says he actually asked him about his condition when they had placed him underneath the orange tree, but Lewis had said "he was okay."

He later found out that Lewis was removed by medical personnel who took him to the Linstead Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Physiotherapist Gaynor Downer, who accompanied Lewis to hospital, said shortly after they arrived and began checking him, there was no pulse movement.

She also said the hospital staff were informed about the race and that they were on stand-by.

In a release, the JAAA sent condolences to the family of Lewis saying "it has regretted the death of Lewis."