close
close

2024 Auckland Marathon: Lots of action on Harbor Bridge after man requires CPR, outside tire nearly hits group

2024 Auckland Marathon: Lots of action on Harbor Bridge after man requires CPR, outside tire nearly hits group

“When I got to the top… I just saw a guy.”

A witness said emergency services tried to surround the man with a white sheet to prevent a passing jogger from seeing.

“There was an elderly gentleman lying on the ground. No one touched him, no artificial respiration was actively performed, but he looked very gray.

AdvertisingAdvertise with NZME.

“He didn’t look well and was just lying on his back. There was a group of people around him (including) two or three runners.”

Some 18,000 runners and walkers have registered for the 2024 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Marathon - the highest number in the event's 33-year history. Photo / Alex Burton
Some 18,000 runners and walkers have registered for the 2024 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Marathon – the highest number in the event’s 33-year history. Photo / Alex Burton

She said emergency services told passing runners to approach the edge of the bridge and stay away from the scene.

Other runners who passed the scene posted on social media that they saw the man being given CPR.

Meanwhile, one witness has described the terrifying moment when a nearby car’s loose tire fell onto a section of the Marathon Bridge course, narrowly missing a group of five runners.

Bevan Carbines, who was competing in the half marathon, said he had just reached the top of the bridge and was starting to descend when a tire appeared to his right and began racing towards a group of runners.

Carabins said he shouted to the group, but they were unable to hear him until the tire nearly flew past them and crashed into the edge of the bridge.

Runners at the Auckland Marathon in Auckland this morning. Photo / Alex Burton
Runners at the Auckland Marathon in Auckland this morning. Photo / Alex Burton

“It bounced off the left side of the bridge and kind of came back in front of me,” he said.

“I kind of sped up because I saw this thing was going to come back down the bridge… (I) quickly ran up to it and grabbed it and then just put it on its side so it would stop rolling before I continued the continuous roll. “

Carabins said the tire, which looked like it came from a sports car, picked up speed from hitting the bridge and would have raced down the hill if he had left it, putting other runners in danger.

He said if the tire had hit the runners’ ankles or feet from behind, “they (would have) been plowed.”

AdvertisingAdvertise with NZME.

“It was definitely very crazy… it happened in the blink of an eye,” he said.

The Auckland Marathon said it was aware of an incident involving a car tire flying onto the course.

“The vehicle was traveling south on the Harbor Bridge in one of the two lanes that remained open to traffic when the wheel came off. The tire passed all the runners.”

The Harbor Bridge was open to traffic in both directions throughout the event, but two southbound lanes were closed to runners.

A police spokesman said they were notified of the incident.

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) earlier said a “vehicle breakdown” was causing congestion in the south.

AdvertisingAdvertise with NZME.

“The Auckland Marathon congratulates all the runners and walkers who took part in today’s biggest event and thanks everyone who had a hand in making this event a success, from the hundreds of volunteers to the dedicated medical team,” a marathon spokesman said.

Benjamin Plummer is an Oakland-based reporter covering breaking news. He worked for Herald from 2022.