World Games Athlete Mattia Debertolis Dies from Heat-Related Illness

The World Games community mourns the loss of Mattia Debertolis, an Italian athlete who died while competing in Chengdu. Debertolis, a long-distance runner, collapsed during a race due to heatstroke caused by high temperatures and humidity. Despite immediate medical care, he passed away at the age of 29. The tragic incident occurred during the men’s middle-distance final, approximately 50 kilometers from central Chengdu. The World Games organizers and the International Orienteering Federation expressed their condolences. Debertolis, who also pursued a PhD at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, was a well-regarded athlete.