Top distance runner Ryan Shay died during the U.S. men's Olympic marathon trials Saturday after collapsing about 5 1/2 miles into the race. He was 28, AP reported. New York Road Runners president Mary Wittenberg said Shay was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital and was pronounced dead at 8:46 a.m. «It cuts a knife through everybody's hearts,» Wittenberg said. Wittenberg said Shay received immediate medical attention. «There were several layers of medical response,» she said. «It was very quick.» Shay of Flagstaff, Arizona, hit the ground near the Central Park boathouse, a popular Manhattan tourist spot, during the 42-kilometer (26.2-mile) qualifier for the Beijing Games. The death came a day before the New York City Marathon. Shay was the U.S. 20,000-meters (20K) road racing champion in 2004, making him a four-time national champion.
