26 Year-Old Pregnant Olympian Dies

Meskerem Legesse photo credit: newsone

What Is This World Coming To?  A 26 year-old pregnant olympian has collapsed and died, in the presence of her two year old son.  Apparently,  Meskerem Legesse, an ethiopian, professional and olympic runner collapse and died in West Conneticut earlier this week.  While it is unclear the cause of the collapse or death, Doctors were able to save her baby, after she died at the hospital.

According to NewsOne

HARTFORD, Conn. — A former Olympic and professional runner from Ethiopia who was due to give birth in three weeks has died after collapsing at a Connecticut restaurant, but doctors were able to save her baby, her friends said Wednesday.

Meskerem Legesse, 26, who lived in Westport, Conn., was with her 2-year-old son when she collapsed at a Chinese restaurant in Hamden on Monday, said her friend, Fatima Sene. She was transported to a hospital where she died and the baby was saved, Sene said.
The cause of death wasn’t clear. Sene said Legesse had suffered heart problems in the past.
“It is very sad. She was a very good person,” Sene said. “She would do anything for anybody. And she loved that little boy she left behind.”

Legesse ran in the 1,500 meter competition at the Athens Olympics in 2004. She finished 12th in a first-round heat with a time of 4:18:03 and didn’t advance to the medal race. She moved on to a professional running career in the U.S., competing in events including the Boston Indoor Games, Fifth Avenue Mile in Manhattan and the Millrose Games in New York. She apparently hadn’t raced within the past few years