Conrad Readman, Olympic Superfan, Dies After Collapsing At London Games

A British sports fan who had tickets for every day of the 2012 London Olympics has died after collapsing during an indoor cycling event at the Velodrome.

BBC News reports that Conrad Readman, 49, had gone to watch British cyclist Victoria Pendleton and the men’s team pursuit win gold last Friday when he collapsed of a “massive heart attack.”

A spokesperson for London Ambulance Service said:

“Extensive efforts were made to resuscitate the patient both at the scene and on the way to hospital. The man later died in hospital.”

CBS sports reports that the “Olympic superfan” had been watching up to three Olympic events per day, including swimming, cycling, and canoeing races. Readman’s Facebook photos — featuring the Brit posing alongside several Olympic athletes at a number of different competitions — also prove he was more than the ordinary spectator.

Following Readman’s death, his elderly mother, Joan, released the following statement:

“He had been looking forward to [2012 Olympics] ever since it was announced.There was never a day he was not excited about it and he got tickets for the whole fortnight.He was coming home every night so excited and telling me about everything he had done.”

“He was as good as gold and never any trouble. He would help anybody. He loved watching a lot of sport and I am so very proud of him.”

Joan Readman added that her son had never had a problem with his heart and had not been to a doctor in 15 years.

“He died doing something he loved so I am happy he was where he was, but I can’t watch any of it now … I had it on all day, every day but I can’t bear it now – it’s so sad.”

Olympic superfan Condrad Readman’s death marks the second time someone has on the grounds of the 2012 Games. Last week, a pedestrian on a bicycle was struck and killed by a media shuttle bus in Olympic Park.