KUANTAN, March 12 — “At that time I thought two participants of the 2018 Run Out Pahang have died as they were sprawled motionless in the middle of the road, while a woman participant sat by the roadside with her head covered in blood after she was hit by the secretariat’s car.”
That was the image given by one of the participants of the 2018 Run Out Pahang, Haszalinda Othman, 41, who was also injured after being hit by a car driven by one of the secretariat personnel in an accident at 8.25am yesterday, near the Al-Iman Ash-Shafie Mosque, KotaSAS.
Haszalinda, who works in a bank in Rawang, said the incident took place when she and several other participants including the three victims were approaching the finishing line.
“The incident took place only 200 metres from the finishing line. Suddenly, I felt something hit me hard and I was flung to the middle of the road. I did not know what was happening at that time.
“It was when I got up and looked back that I saw three other participants had also been hit including two who were sprawled on the road,” said Haslinda who was returning home to Pandan Jaya, Kuala Lumpur when contacted by Bernama here today.
She also saw the woman driver involved, crying and in a panic after seeing four participants who were hurt in the accident, before being calmed by another member of the secretariat.
Haszalinda, who was injured on the right side of the body and had a bump on the head, was then assisted by several other participants to the finishing line before being taken to the International Islamic University Medical Centre for further treatment.
She did not expect the first participation of her husband Mohd Zain Mohd Amin, 50, and herself in a running event outside the Klang Valley would end with the accident, but the mishap would not break her spirit to join upcoming events including the 2018 Hulu Langat Trail Run this weekend .
“I will do a second health check in Kuala Lumpur after returning home today and hope to get well soon to join another run this weekend,” she said.
In addition to Haszalinda, three other victims who were injured in the accident yesterday were Ahmad Fakhri Sulaiman, 31, Chua Yennie, 21, and Nurulhuda Ahmad Razali, 32.
Meanwhile Nurulhuda, 32, who is a Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten) staff in Muadzam Shah near here, said it all happened in a split second after she heard a loud bang from the back.
“I am not sure whether I was the second or third person to be mowed down because suddenly I was flung into the air and then lifted by the crowd on to the curb ... at that time, I thought my foot could not move,” she said.
Nurulhuda, who participated in the 10-km category said, she was taken to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) but she and her husband Mohd Hanif Ibrahim, 33, decided to move to a private treatment centre here.
She said that based on the doctor’s examination, she was likely to undergo surgery on the right leg on Monday (March 19) as she had to wait for the swelling on her foot to recede first.
“Indeed, I have taken part in marathon competitions in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya and everything went well, so the accident yesterday traumatised me a bit,” she said.
Kuantan District Police Chief ACP Mohamad Noor Yusof Ali today confirmed four 2018 Run Out Pahang participants were injured after being hit by a car belonging to the secretariat at 8.25am yesterday, near Al-Imam Mosque Ash-Shafie, KotaSAS.
Meanwhile the organiser, Dusty Monkey on its official Facebook stated that they were taking the matter very seriously and monitoring closely the recovery of the four runners.
It also denied that the accident was due to the carelessness of an internal party, and as the organiser, they had maintained their professionalism and dedication at all times throughout the event.
“We would like the public to know that the safety of our runners has always been our top priority and we will constantly work harder every year to enhance safety,” they said.
Dusty Monkey also urged witnesses to the incident to assist them by contacting them via e-mail at [email protected]. — Bernama
