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Body of British runner found in Scottish Highlands

Chris Smith's body was found on Thursday after he went missing while out for a run earlier in the week

Photo by: Twitter/BritAthletics

The body of British fell runner Chris Smith was found in the Scottish Highlands on Thursday, two days after he went missing while out for a routine training run. According to a GoFundMe page created to support the search for Smith, he left for an 11-mile run on Tuesday, October 27, at 3 p.m., but he never returned. The run, which was “a normal activity for Chris,” would have taken him through Scotland’s Invervar Munros, and his body was found near Meall Garbh, one of the route’s four peaks. Smith — whose cause of death has yet to be reported — leaves behind a wife and two sons.

When Smith was reported missing, the Scottish Mountain Rescue (SMR) team was called to help find him. As noted on the GoFundMe page, the SMR consists of more than 800 volunteers who “respond in a moment’s notice, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide assistance to people in the outdoors.” Despite being a volunteer-based program, there’s still an average cost of £2,500 (C$4,300) per rescue, which is the reason for the GoFundMe page (which has raised close to £6,000). 

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Residents of West Sussex in England, Smith and his family were on vacation in Scotland. As reported by the BBC, Smith’s family released a statement following the news that his body had been found. “On behalf of the entire family, we are devastated to let you know that Chris has lost his life in Glen Lyon,” the statement reads. “”He was doing what he loved, having spent the previous days having the most special time with [his wife and sons].” 

Smith ran for Great Britain in multiple international mountain races, and he helped the British team to several medals at European and world championships. In 2015, he finished in 10th at the World Mountain Running Championships in Wales, winning a team bronze medal. He also won three team medals (two silvers and a bronze) at the European Mountain Running Championships in 2013, 2015 and 2016. 

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Sarah Tunstall, a teammate of Smith’s on the British mountain running squad, told the BBC that Smith had “infectious enthusiasm for the sport,” adding that he always inspired his fellow athletes. “He was a true gent, selfless teammate and fantastic athlete who always left everything out there on race day.”

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