Today is the first Ironman Championship being held in NYC—which still went on in spite of raw sewage being discharged into the Hudson on Thursday. Competitors must complete a 2.4 mile swim, then a 112 mile bicycle portion, and, finally, 26.2 mile run. Now it's being reported that one person died during the swimming portion.
According to NBC New York, "Event organizers said the man experienced distress during the swim portion of the race and needed immediate on-site medical attention. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The exact cause of his death is unknown, pending autopsy results."
The victim is 43, and Ironman organizers said, "On behalf of all of us in the triathlon community, we mourn his death and send our condolences to his family and loved ones." Last year, two people, a 40-year-old woman and 64-year-old man, died during the swimming portion of the NYC Triathlon and, in 2008, a 32-year-old man died during the swimming portion of the Triathlon.
