Press "Enter" to skip to content

Hornets sting more than 100 marathon participants in Gifu

A stirred hornet's nest resulted in 115 marathon participants being stung in Gifu Prefecture
A stirred hornet’s nest resulted in 115 marathon participants being stung in Gifu Prefecture

GIFU (TR) – A stirred hornet’s nest resulted in more than 100 persons being stung during a marathon event in Hida City on Sunday, reports TV Asahi (Sept. 12).

At around 10:00 a.m., 115 male and female participants in the Yama no Mura Daikon Marathon were left with minor injuries after being stung by Japanese yellow hornets during a half-marathon race.

According to Hida City officials, eight of those stung were taken to a nearby hospital while the other victims received treatment at the scene. Between 30 and 40 of the victims wound up quitting the race.

The incident took place at a bridge. It is speculated that vibrations caused by the runners crossing the bridge stirred a hornet’s nest hanging below.

According to organizers, a total of around 1,500 persons took part in the event, which was held for the eighteenth time. Prior to the start of the event, representatives from Hida City inspected the course and did not notice any potential problems.