Tragedy as athlete dies after ‘getting into difficulty' while swimming during ‘Ironman' race
The athlete began experiencing "difficulty" during the swimming section of the triathlon in Swansea Ironman 70.3.
The competitor - who has not been named - received immediate medical care and rushed to hospital.
But they tragically died on Wednesday, event organisers have since confirmed.
A statement from Ironman Wales read: "It is with a heavy heart that we confirm the passing of an athlete who competed in last weekend's IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea triathlon.
"Approximately half-way into the swim portion of the race, swim safety personnel noticed and responded to an athlete in difficulty.
"The athlete received immediate medical care while being taken via boat to a designated extraction point on the harbour, where further treatment was administered.
"The athlete was then transported to the hospital where they continued to receive treatment, but sadly passed today.
"Our deepest condolences are with the family and friends of the athlete.
"We will continue to offer them our support and keep them in our thoughts as they go through this challenging time.
Most read in The Sun
"We are deeply grateful to the swim safety personnel and first responders who worked quickly to provide the athlete with medical assistance."
Each year, thousands take part in the Welsh triathlon, but this was the UK's first ever Ironman Pro Series event.
Competitors start by completing a 1.2-mile swim at the Prince of Wales Dock, followed by a 56-mile bike ride through Mumbles and along the coastal clifftops of Gower, before heading out into rural Swansea and then back along Swansea Bay into the city.
They then return to Swansea, preparing for transition in the Maritime Quarter next to the River Tawe.
Competitors then tackle a 13.1-mile two-loop run course that leads them from the city centre, past Swansea Arena, towards Mumbles and then back to the finish line at the marina
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Horse racing tips: ‘She won with loads in hand last time' – Templegate's 6-4 NAP can complete a four-timer
TEMPLEGATE takes on a busy Sunday of racing confident of banging in some winners. Remember, you can back a horse by clicking on their odds below. FINEST VIEW (3.13 Stratford, nap) She is chasing a fantastic four-timer and was impressive over course and distance last time, tanking along before quickening away. She's still improving and has a cracking chance of going in again from just 1lb higher in the weights. HIDDEN VERSE (5.45 Redcar, nb) Won with loads in hand at Chepstow on Thursday. He's clearly on the up and should take some stopping, even with a penalty. Stepping up to this sharp six furlongs holds no fears. ELEMENTAL EYE (3.25 Redcar, treble) Has been knocking on the door and this looks a good chance. This marathon trip and ground suit and he's well in off the same mark as a good Ayr effort. Templegate's tips FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Most read in Horse Racing Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
The Irish Sun
21 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I'm a female sports presenter, here's what it's really like being a pundit, you wouldn't believe the sexism I have faced
THIS summer the spotlight is truly on women when it comes to the world of sport. With the Lionesses storming into the semi-finals of the Euros and the 5 Reshmin Chowdhury has opened up about the sexism and racism she suffered as a sports presenter Credit: The Sun 5 She says that people would mistake her for someone who was there to make the tea and take notes Credit: Getty However, unfortunately despite their incredible achievements so many women in the industry are still at the receiving end of toxic sexist comments as Reshmin Chowdhury knows all too well. 'I had to fight hard to be a female sports presenter,' Reshmin, 47, says. 'It wasn't easy and I tackled racism and sexism in sport reporting to forge my career. 'There was no playbook for me to follow to get to the job I have now.' Read More on Women's Sport Mum Reshmin, lives in London with her daughter, 12 and 12 year old son while dividing her time appearing as a presenter and sports commentator on TNT Sports and hosting Game Day Exclusive on talkSPORT on Saturday mornings. In the last five years she's made headlines fronting the FIFA World Cup in Qatar for BeIN Sports, covering the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games for Eurosport and Discovery Plus, and helping helm the UEFA Euro 2000 for ITV Sport. Reshmin says: 'If you had told me 30 years ago this would be my job, I'd have said you were crazy. 'I would have laughed it off as an impossible dream. Most read in Celebrity 'Now I know through the ups and downs the impossible is possible. 'It's been hard to get here, and I have fought some tough battles to be accepted.' Reshmin Chowdhury talks about ethnic prejudice in sports broadcasting Reshmin grew up in East London, raised in what she describes as an open minded and progressive Bengali Muslim family. She says: 'Aunts and uncles surrounded me and I grew up supported by a huge second-generation community where education, culture, religion, and music constantly celebrated.' As a teenager Reshmin admitted she was sports crazy. 'My brother and I would obsessively watch everything from Wimbledon to football together,' she says. 'I was a 'sports nerd girl' - that was unusual but when it came to facts and figures about all different types of sport I lived and breathed them.' After leaving school Reshmin graduated from the University of Bath with a degree in politics and economics. In 2003 she completed a post graduate diploma in newspaper journalism at Harlow College. 'I had a degree in politics and started doing low level assistant jobs in newsrooms and that made sense to people,' she says. 5 She has also opened up at her annoyance over nepo babies Credit: Talking Futures 5 Reshmin says it was always her dream to work in sport Credit: Alamy 'I had a politics degree, and I was training as a news reporter. 'The thought of a British Bengali woman being fascinated by sport and becoming an expert sports commentator was something most people didn't even consider possible. 'I soon realised I didn't want to be pigeonholed. 'I wanted to be a TV presenter and reporter, and I wanted to do sport. 'When you factor in, I was not just a woman but a British Asian woman and the odds were pretty much stacked against me.' Reshmin admits she thrives on challenges saying the key to her success was a passion for sport and a desire to prove people wrong. 'I went through a number of years knowing what I wanted to do but not knowing how to get into TV presenting and reporting,' she says. 'There was no guidance or even training programmes then which could be followed when I was starting out. There were times it was unpleasant. It wasn't right Reshmin Chowdhury 'Diversity hiring wasn't common then and I didn't use that track to jumpstart my career.' Reshmin admits she found herself constantly having to prove to potential bosses and colleagues she knew all the ins and outs of football. 'Everyday was a test, a test to be recognised and taken seriously,' she says. 'I'd be asked questions in the office or even on air about unusual football facts or players and I knew if I got something wrong, I'd be judged negatively 'There were times it was unpleasant. It wasn't right. 'There were times people thought I was there to take notes or make the coffee. Ultimate sports presenters rich list TV sports presenters make a mint. The biggest and best are signed up on yearly deals with the likes of the BBC, ITV and Sky for your viewing pleasure. Laura Woods is dominating the media landscape at the moment, leading TNT Sports' coverage and ITV's. Alex Scott and Jermaine Jenas are two of the fresher faces for the BBC's sporting output. Then, it's the old guard of Gary Lineker and Mark Chapman who also command hefty fees for their Match of the Day programmes. SunSport has taken a look at how those big names rank and compiled a list of the top 10 highest earning stars that grace our TV screens. With number one worth a whopping £29.4million more than number 10! Read the story and see the full list 'Would they have asked a man to jump through hoops in sports journalism? No, of course not. But like it or not women have to even today. 'I'm not full of myself but looking back I am proud I could pioneer a small path for other British Asian women in the competitive field of sports reporting world.' Reshmin admits that she finds the rise of nepo babies, children who are successful because of their parents, 'annoying'. 'When I started my TV career, I didn't have an 'in',' she says. 'We've all seen an increase in nepo babies - the children of the rich and famous all over the world getting jobs on the back of their parents. 'It puts so much pressure on those kids and it isn't fair on other people. Some children from non-famous families give up because they feel the system is rigged.' Reshmin admits she also has her hands full juggling motherhood and a high-profile career and struggles with mum-guilt. 'My children were born 20 months apart and I took time off to care for them,' she says. 'I came back and had to work extra hard to catch up. 'It's not a complaint, it's just what happens in the work of competitive sports journalism. 'I always have mum guilt. I worry I am not doing enough and have to be regimented with my time.' Would they have asked a man to jump through hoops in sports journalism? Of course not Reshmin Chowdhury Reshmin has partnered with 'I know the pressure kids feel in the lead up to GCSE's, A- Levels, and mock exams,' she says. 'Many are making huge decisions before summer holidays about leaving school, starting college, or getting jobs. 'I know just how vulnerable many teens feel and how confused they are about these live altering decisions. 'That's why the Career Transfer Hub is such a great solution to getting parents – like me – more engaged. 'It's time we used the same passion and time we give to football to help our teens take their next step. "Whether it's T-levels, apprenticeships, HTQs or other options, these are the real career-defining transfers – and our teens deserve our full support.' 5 Reshmin has teamed up with Rio Ferdinand to support the Talking Futures campaign Credit: Talking Futures
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- RTÉ News
Preview: Odds stacked in Lions' favour for first Wallabies Test
Times have been tough for the Wallabies in recent seasons, but they haven't lost their sense of humour. ' Wallabies lock in debutant, more Aussies than Welsh in Lions ' was the headline in The Australian on Thursday evening, as Melbourne-born Sione Tuipulotu got the call at inside centre for the British and Irish Lions, and the only Welsh representative, Jac Morgan, missed the cut. Perhaps they would be better advised to look into how Tuipulotu – Scottish-qualified since birth – fell through the cracks of the Australian system and ended up on the other side of the world, just as Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen did too. Financially, the Australians stand to make a fortune off this tour, although the fear is that it could come at the cost of three chastening defeats. A Wallabies win in Saturday's first Test in Brisbane would give this series lift-off, but their injury list has had other ideas, with two of their most powerful forwards, Will Skelton and Rob Valetini, both ruled out due to calf issues, while Langi Gleeson, who covered for Valetini a fortnight ago in their scatty 21-18 win against Fiji, is also out with a dead leg. To fill that back row role, enter Nick Champion de Crespigny. The Western Force flanker may sound like the central character from a BBC period drama, but three seasons at French club Castres mean the 29-year-old plays the game like an MMA fighter. The other big call Joe Schmidt (above) has had to make has been at out-half, where 22-year-old Tom Lynagh is given the keys to the backline, ahead of Ben Donaldson and James O'Connor, and follows in the footsteps of his father, Wallabies great Michael, who also started against the Lions in the 1989 series. "I always felt that Michael had a real quiet control of games and a calmness about the way that he ran the game. And I do think there's a bit of that in Tom," Schmidt said, as he backed the Queensland Reds rookie. "It's always the same when you haven't seen someone at the level and they haven't been put under the pressure that's going to come, then you're not quite sure how things are going to work out. But I have real confidence in Tom and I'm sure Michael does as well. "So whatever does get thrown at Tom, I am confident that he'll cope and I'm very confident that he'll learn from the occasion. Meanwhile, the main talking point with the Lions this week has been around who Andy Farrell hasn't picked, rather than who he has. "As a tighthead, he gives you a point of difference" Johne Murphy on Tadhg Furlong getting back to his best ahead of the first #Lions2025 Test Full #RTERugby pod:🎧 — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 17, 2025 With Tom Curry starting over Jac Morgan and Josh van der Flier, and Tadhg Beirne getting selected ahead of Ollie Chessum, it's fair to suggest that elements of Farrell's first Test line-up were picked long before this tour even started. Credit in the bank is always a valuable currency for Farrell, and while Beirne and Curry have arguably been a level below their best so far on tour, both have proven themselves time and again as players who raise their game for the big occasion. The head coach was at pains to stress how close those back row suggestions were. Indeed, the picture below was his specific response to being asked about how close Morgan was to being selected. Loose offloads and carelessness in possession have been among the big defects in the Lions performances so far on this tour, but looking through the starting pack Farrell has selected, every player is a ball-carrying option and capable of playing a direct, confrontational game that could be devastating for a Wallabies side missing two of their most powerful forwards. The Lions have been just above average for large chunks of this tour, although they did look to have raised their intensity by a couple of gears in last weekend's final warm-up game against the AUNZ Invitational XV, even accounting for a dreadful display from their hosts. The absence of Henry Pollock for this first Test is a disappointment, if only to see how the Wallabies players would have gone after the 20-year-old, who bristled a few in the Australian media this week when he suggested the Lions would like to win this series 3-0. In reality, the perception of cockiness couldn't be further from the truth. There has been a paranoid siege-mentality in the Lions camp this week, with only a small number of media permitted to see the opening minutes of training. A couple of hours after the Wallabies held their captain's run, in front of dozens of cameras, reporters, commentators and even a handful of supporters, an announcement at Suncorp Stadium advised that the Lions would be holding a closed session, and even the stadium maintenance workers had to clear the pitch, much to the bemusement of the Australian press. The familiarity between Schmidt and almost all of the Lions coaching staff may have something to do with that trepidation. Farrell (above), Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman, John Fogarty and Johnny Sexton have all crossed paths with the New Zealander, either at Leinster of Ireland, and even their head of analysis Vinny Hammond is a disciple of the former Ireland coach. "Obviously you think you know his traits," Farrell said of the familiarity between the coaches. "The flipside is Joe 100% thinks he knows my traits, or the traits of the players that he's coached. "But things move on all the time, there's no doubt Joe has been through a lot of great experiences since leaving Ireland. "There is no doubt he'll be a better coach now, from the experience he had in New Zealand. We saw that with the All Blacks as well. "You just know they are going to be thoroughly prepared and you know he'll give them an inner confidence that they'll be up for a series win as well." If the Lions have the edge in the pack, their main task in the backline will be taming the influence of centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (above), the 21-year-old star being held up as the potential saviour of Australian rugby. Suaalii has credited this series with being the main reason he switched from rugby league to union last year, and Farrell will have November's meeting of Ireland and the Wallabies fresh in his mind, where the centre's ability under the high ball caused Ireland real difficulty as they ground out a 22-19 win. Hugo Keenan, James Lowe and Tommy Freeman will have to be at their best to keep Australia's kicking game in check, but an early injury to any of those three could leave the Lions vulnerable. Bundee Aki's selection on the bench will give the Lions a powerful punch in the second half, all things going to plan, but with Marcus Smith covering out-half and full-back, the Harlequins man has looked out of place at 15, both in the air and on defence. Twelve years ago at this ground in Brisbane, only the footwear of Kurtley Beale came between the Wallabies and a surprise win, as he slipped while taking a penalty kick with the final play of the game as the Lions held on for a 23-21 win. A similarly dramatic finale would spark this series into life. Verdict: Lions Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Alan Ala'alatoa; Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams; Nick Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt). Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway. British and Irish Lions: Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje, Joe McCarthy; Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan.
