Moment athletics referee suffers horrific leg break and bleeding after being hit by a stray hammer thrown by competitor at China’s Asian Games
- Asian Games official Huang Qinhua was injured by a stray hammer
- Kuwait’s Ali Zankawi misthrew the hammer at the Asian Games in China
- Qinhua was rushed to hospital for doctors to treat a major fracture
An athletics official was rushed to get medical attention after a misthrown hammer shattered his leg and caused serious bleeding as he officiated the Asian Games.
Asian Games official Huang Qinhua was slammed by a stray hammer weighing 16 lbs thrown by Kuwait’s Ali Zankawi on Saturday at the men’s hammer final in Hangzhou, in the east of China.
Blood was seen pouring out of the wound on the 62-year-old official’s right leg as Zankawi, 39, rushed over to help him, applying a tourniquet to his injury to restrict bloodflow.
The official’s face went a deep-red colour in the seconds after he was hit by the hammer.
The official, who was sat several feet behind loose netting that surrounds the throwing circle, was seen clutching himself in agony as several other officials helped him onto a medical stretcher.
Asian Games official Huang Qinhua was rushed to hospital after taking a hammer to the leg
His leg was heavily bleeding in the moments after the accident
Ali Zankawi(pictured, left) rushed over to help the injured official
The pair were seen embracing as Qinhua lay in a hospital bed
Qinhua was then taken to hospital and treated for a bone fracture.
Zankawi, meanwhile, looked shaken and reportedly asked after the official several times after he had left the packed Olympic stadium.
A Games official said on Sunday: ‘He arrived at the hospital at 20:15, where was diagnosed with a right open tibiofibular fracture. Currently his vital signs are stable.’
Despite being hospitalised, Qinhua appeared to be in good spirits.
He was seen with the hammer thrower, who shared a snap of the two of them embracing as Qinhua lies in his hospital bed.
Though Zankawi managed to throw a season’s best of 67.57m (221.6 ft), he finished eighth overall.
Social media users called for safety protocols to be improved to offer better protection for referees.
While Qinhua was sat behind netting meant to protect him and other officials, the netting is also loosely fitted to prevent hammers and discuses from flying back at athletes.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk