Canadian Dies In Competition

A 30-year-old Canadian air force officer collapsed and died after running a grueling obstacle course in a competition for security police.

Capt. Cletus Cheng stumbled over the finish line Monday, supported by his teammates. Doctors say his heart stopped after he finished the course.

Cheng’s condition became critical in the ambulance on the way to the emergency room at Kirtland Air Force Base and he never recovered, said base spokesman Senior Airman Paul Gritton.

Temperatures reached 82 degrees Monday in Albuquerque. Several competitors in the Peacekeeper Challenge collapsed during the final stages of the course, but Gritton said there have never been any deaths.

“It’s not an uncommon occurrence for them to collapse and be worn out when they finish,” Gritton said. “When they run, I’d say half of them collapse. They’re tired, they give it their all.”

The competition has been held at the base for the past 14 years, except during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.