In Ireland, two men lost their lives while participating in an Ironman triathlon. One of the men, who was in his 40s, and the other, who was in his 60s, passed away during the swimming portion of the event in Youghal, County Cork.
The competition’s organizers had earlier altered the course due to unsafe water conditions. Emergency personnel retrieved the men from the water, and they were later declared dead by medical personnel, according to the Garda. Ironman Ireland expressed its ‘deep sadness’ over the loss of the two men in a Facebook post.
“We deeply regret to announce that two athletes have tragically lost their lives during the IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland event in Cork 2023,” stated the message. Safety officers provided prompt medical assistance to the participants during the swim section of the race on Sunday upon realizing their need for it. The families and friends of the athletes have our deepest sympathy, and we will continue to support them as they navigate this extremely challenging time. We appreciate the swift action of the safety staff and first responders in providing medical care to the athletes.
According to a statement on the event’s page earlier this morning, the swim course will be modified to ‘provide the safest possible swim’ for the competitors. The statement read: ‘Due to the current state of the water at the swim start, the swim route for both IRONMAN 70.3 Ireland, Cork, and the full-distance IRONMAN Ireland, Cork, will now be 1.9 km. This adjustment allows us to focus all of our swim safety staff on ensuring the safest swim experience for each of our participants.
This decision follows Storm Betty, which lashed Ireland on Friday and Saturday with torrential rain and powerful gales sweeping the shores.
