For Nikolaj Christensen, the evening of June 12, 2021 turned into a nightmare, when he saw the number 10 of the Danish selection collapse on the ground in the middle of the Euro football match, remaining unconscious for long minutes in front of a stadium and millions of stunned viewers.

"For the Danes, and everyone watching the match, it was a real national trauma," recalled the 24-year-old, who was watching the match at home.

It was the rapid intervention of his teammates - some of whom were able to perform the first rescue actions - then the arrival of a defibrillator to resuscitate him that changed the situation to avoid Eriksen's sudden death on the lawn, emphasize doctors.

A lesson for Nikolaj and hundreds of others, concerned about wanting to be those who "could also help", he says.

Launched in 2017 in Copenhagen, the concept of "runners of the heart" is simple: identify first aid volunteers and contact them in the event of cardiac arrest in the neighborhood.

The twenty closest volunteers are notified and generally half accept the mission.

Intervene quickly

To integrate the directory, all you have to do is fill in your identity and download an application.

No training is necessary since all Danes have first aid courses at school and when they get their driving licence.

Similar systems exist in parts of Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK.

In Denmark, more than 2,000 people came forward after the star midfielder's accident.

The same day, 641 people joined the program out of emotion, against 150 to 200 weekly registrations in normal times.

Denmark captain Simon Kjaer rushes towards Christian Eriksen (on the ground) victim of a heart attack at the Euro, June 12, 2021 in Copenhagen WOLFGANG RATTAY POOL / AFP / Archives

The wave of emotion "opened the eyes of the general public", summarizes Fredrik Folke, one of the program managers.

"It was not sophisticated drugs or advanced resuscitation equipment at the hospital, but basic things that saved Christian Eriksen", namely the rapid intervention of his teammates and then the use of a defibrillator, explains- he told AFP.

For Nikolaj, the race of the heart is definitely a football story.

On July 11, he is again in front of his television set for the Euro final.

"The Italians hadn't even lifted the cup when I heard an unexpected alarm on my phone, it took me a few seconds to realize that I had to run to help someone," he said.

He then rushed to the nearest defibrillator – 20,000 devices are placed in public spaces across the country – and went to the scene of the incident.

On the spot, they were four runners and began first aid before the arrival of the ambulance two minutes later.

The volunteers are not informed of the success, or not, of the operation.

"But I think the person got away with it. Science tells us that the faster we intervene, the more chance we have of saving a life," says Nikolaj.

- Quadrupled survival rate –

Over the last twenty years, Denmark has quadrupled the survival rate after cardiac arrest outside the hospital (628 saved for 5,000 cases).

And also quadrupled the frequency of first aid provided by a passerby, increased to 80% today.

"The race is to reach the patient as quickly as possible" after a call received by the emergency services, summarizes Mr. Folke.

First aid is given to Christian Eriksen who fell ill during the Denmark-Finland match in Copenhagen, June 12, 2021 Friedemann Vogel POOL / AFP / Archives

In five years, the number of runners has increased from 14,500 to 130,000 (in January 2022).

"In a country like France, that would correspond to 1.4 million people," said the doctor.

Involuntary publicity for the program, Christian Eriksen's cardiac arrest also turned the Danes to first aid courses.

The Red Cross, which offers first aid training, saw these courses taken by storm with demand tripling at the start of the summer.

© 2022 AFP