Swimmer dies competing in the St. George Ironman

In this file photo, onlookers and race officials watch the water where competitors start and finish the swim portion of the Ironman 70.3 St. George triathlon race, Sand Hollow Reservoir, Hurricane, Utah, May 1, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

ST. GEORGE —A competitor in the Ironman 70.3 North American Championship St. George died after suffering distress during the swimming portion of the triathlon. The Ironman Group confirmed the participant’s death in a news release published in the evening following the race’s conclusion on Saturday.

The course for the swimming portion of the St. George 70.3 Ironman in Sand Hollow Reservoir, Hurricane, Utah, May 1, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Ironman Group, St. George News

“We are incredibly saddened to confirm the death of a race participant at the Ironman 70.3 North American Championship St. George,” The Ironman Group wrote in the statement. “The athlete received immediate medical attention upon swim safety personnel recognizing the distressed athlete during the swim portion of Saturday’s race. We share our greatest sympathies with the family and friends of the athlete and will continue to offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time.”

Details about the individual’s identity and the circumstances surrounding their death were not disclosed. The statement thanked medical responders and swim safety personnel who worked to treat the individual.

An Ironman 70.3, or half Ironman, consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run, completed in that order. The swim portion of the St. George course was completed at Sand Hollow Reservoir in Hurricane, and water temperatures that morning were around 62 degree Fahrenheit, according to a livestream provided by the Ironman Group.

Multiple news outlets have reported that deaths in triathlons are not rare, and most occur during the swim portion of the race.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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