Kemoy Campbell Rushed To Hospital After Collapse At Track

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

NEW YORK – Jamaican distance runner Kemoy Campbell suffered a medical emergency after stepping off the track in the men’s 3,000 meters Saturday at the 112th NYRR Milrose Games.

Campbell was the pace-setter for the race and he collapsed on the infield of The Armory track. EMTs performed CPR and used a defibrillator on him before he was rushed to the hospital.

The incident delayed the track meet for more than 20 minutes as medical staff tended to Campbell.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to (Campbell) and we hope he’s OK,” shot-putter Joe Kovacs said.

Kovacs and the other shot putters were standing near the spot where Campbell went down. Kovacs immediately pitched in and moved some starting blocks out of the way to give medical personnel more space to treat the fallen runner.

Ashinia Miller, who finished third in the shot put, was one of the many people who were shaken by what they saw. Miller is a former Jamaican teammate and friend of Campbell, and after seeing Campbell undergo CPR was uncertain about finishing the competition. 

Ryan Crouser and Kovacs said they would follow Miller's lead and were willing to end the competition after the fourth round. 

Eventually, meet officials convinced the shot putters to take their final throws. Miller came around and agreed, saying he believed Campbell would have wanted him to continue. 

Campbell’s condition Saturday night was labeled as "stable."  He was taken across the street from The Armory, to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center.