A teenage soccer player almost froze to death during a club match at Featherston, 70km north of the capital Wellington on Sunday, a newspaper reported.
Azim Sheikh (19) suffered severe hypothermia and had stopped breathing when he reached hospital after the match between Wairarapa United and Featherston, The Wairarapa Times-Age newspaper reported in its Wednesday edition.
The match was called off in the second half when Wairarapa management noticed several of its players were affected by the cold. With wind chill, temperatures in the region plunged to below the freezing point.
Sheikh, who moved to New Zealand from Fiji two years ago, said he had been cold during the first half and his condition worsened during halftime.
”The next thing I knew I couldn’t do anything,” he told the Wairarapa Times-Age. ”I couldn’t walk and then I blacked out.
”They [his teammates] told me it was probably because I come from a warm country and am not used to the weather,” he added.
Sheikh’s body temperature plummeted but he made a quick recovery after being rushed to hospital and was released late on Sunday. He said he hoped to play again next weekend. – Sapa-AP