Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Alistair Brownlee came to the North American 70.3 Pro Championship as his entry onto the Ironman scene and as a test against some top competition. Although 2nd out of the water, he quickly took the lead and never looked back, setting a new course record - 3:41:58. Lionel Sanders came out of the water more than 3 minutes behind Brownlee but turned in an outstanding bike and run, finishing just 35 seconds back of in second place. Holly Lawrence continued her dominating performances winning in
May 3, 2021 /Local News, Sports News - Local

Athlete dies while swimming in Utah Ironman competition

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — A person has died while competing in the first part of the Ironman 70.3 North American Championship St. George over the weekend, officials said.

The Ironman Group confirmed the death on Saturday around 6:20 p.m., an hour after the race ended, saying an athlete was showing signs of distress during the 1.2-mile (1.9-kilometer) swimming portion of the race at Sand Hallow State Park in Hallow.

The group said swim safety personnel provided immediate medical attention.

“We are incredibly saddened to confirm the death of a race participant,” the group said on Facebook.

The person’s identity has not yet been released and further details were not immediately available.
“The well-being of our competitors is paramount, and we thank the swim safety personnel and first responders who worked quickly to provide the athlete with medical support,” the group said.

The triathlon course started with the swim. The water was expected to be between 60 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit (15 and 18 Celsius) on average, according to the course description.

The race then proceeded into a 56-mile (90-kilometer) bike race through Washington County into the climb through Snow Canyon State Park followed by a 13.1-mile (21-kilometer) run.

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