He was 25 years old and had completed national service. As an operationally-ready national serviceman, he joined a high- intensity interval training session in West Coast Park on Wednesday night.
The aim of this high-intensity interval training is to encourage NSmen to lead healthy and active lifestyles by providing fitness training closer to the community. This NS Fitness Improvement Training (NS FIT) programme is offered at 42 locations around Singapore.
The young man had completed the warm-up at the park and the main exercise was just starting when he collapsed.
The trainers in attendance tried to revive him. They administered CPR or cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and used an automated external defibrillator on him and the Singapore Civil Defence Force officers continued the resuscitation on site and in the ambulance that took the NSman to National University Hospital.
But they could not revive him and he was pronounced dead at 9,21pm at the hospital. The NSman has not been named.
As a result, all the high-intensity interval training sessions have been suspended. In a joint statement on Thursday (Mar 3) the Ministry of Defence and Health Promotion Board said that investigations are ongoing, and safety practices are being reviewed.
These HPB Quick HIIT sessions will be suspended until Sunday (Mar 6).
“In all HPB physical activity programmes, on-site safety briefings and well-being checks are conducted prior to the commencement of each session,” said Mindef and HPB.
The board, the ministry and the Singapore Armed Forces extend their deepest condolences to the family of the dead man and are assisting the family in their time of grief./TISG
SAF regular serviceman dies after physical training at Kranji Camp