June 21, 1999 LONDON (The Independent) - One of Britain's most promising young athletes died Friday after suffering a seizure triggered by a peanut allergy.
Ross Baillie, 21, a finalist in the 110-meter hurdles at last year's Commonwealth Games, suffered the reaction after eating a chicken sandwich during a break in training in Bath on Wednesday.
Baillie, heralded as the natural successor to 110-meter hurdles world record holder Colin Jackson, was taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath.
Baillie's parents, Hugh and Sheila, both former athletes, travelled from their home in Clydebank outside Glasgow on Wednesday evening to be with their son.
A spokeswoman for the hospital said Friday: "Ross Baillie tragically died in the intensive care unit at 11 a.m. today. His family were at his bedside."
Sports Minister Tony Bank led tributes to the young athlete and called his death "an appalling tragedy."
The hurdler, who was in Bath preparing for the European junior championships in Finland, was with international swimmer Mark Foster when he collapsed.
They had both chosen a sandwich with a coronation chicken filling for their lunch but minutes after he bit into his sandwich, Baillie realized there were peanuts in it.
Foster said: "As soon as he bit into it, Ross said he realized there were nuts in it and his tongue started swelling and he started to cough. The coughing continued so I put him in the car and took him to the nearest doctors as he was finding it increasingly difficult to breath."
He was quickly diagnosed by a doctor at the nearby University of Bath as suffering from a severe allergic reaction and given an adrenaline injection. But Baillie, a member of Glasgow's Victoria Park Athletic Club, never regained consciousness after being admitted.
Copyright 1999 The Independent. All rights reserved.
