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A DUTCH middle-distance runner appeared to be knocked out cold and was stretchered off on the final day of the European Athletics Indoor Championship.
Maureen Koster collided with Brit Hannah Nuttall with nine laps left of the women’s 3,000 metres final in Apeldroon.
Maureen Koster was knocked unconscious after falling in the Women’s 3000m final[/caption]
She received lengthy medical treatment[/caption]
Koster was taken away on a stretcher[/caption]
Nuttall, 27, could hear the European rival scream as she fell to the ground and then hit her head on the blue track.
Officials ran over and dragged her into the in-field so that the race could continue.
A number of medics were quickly on the scene and held up a blue sheet as they tried to help.
Koster – who had the backing of the crowd during the race – was then placed on to a stretcher and taken to a medical facility at the Omnisport Arena.
About 20 minutes after the incident, the Netherlands team tweeted that she was “conscious and responsive” following the incident.
They said on X: “Good news. Maureen is conscious and responsive after her fall during the 3,000 metres.”
Melissa Courtney-Bryant thought she had won gold for Britain but was pipped down the closing metres by Irishwoman Sarah Healy, who prevailed in a time of 8:52.86.
Koster, 32, was competing in the European Indoor Championships for the sixth time.
She won a silver medal on her debut appearance in 2015, which remains her only major medal to date.
Innes FitzGerald was one of three British runners in the race and she was behind Koster at the moment when she fell over.
The 18-year-old from Devon said: “I just saw her on the floor in front of me. I thought I had to get around her and hopefully not be fazed by that.
“I didn’t want it to affect my race plan. It was gutting to have her fall, especially in front of a home crowd. I hope she is okay. Very sad that she fell over.”
BBC TV cameras missed the fall live as they were showing the women’s high jump, involving Morgan Lake, at the same time.
Steve Cram, the lead commentator for the coverage, said: “I really do apologise, we’ve just had a fall in the 3,000m.
“It’s Maureen Koster. They might have to stop this. She is unconscious on the track, it looks like.
“I’m not sure what’s going to happen here. I am really sorry that we were away from this quite as long as that.
“That is a local director’s choice. She has been removed from the track right in front of me.”
