Man, 53, dies during swimming leg of an Australian triathlon

By Ben Church, CNN

(CNN) — A 53-year-old man died Sunday during the swimming leg of the Noosa Triathlon in Australia.

Queensland Police said a man, from Victoria, Australia, was pulled from the water in the early morning and was found unresponsive.

Police are treating the death as non-suspicious. The identity of the man has not been publicly released.

“Emergency services attempted to revive the man, but he was declared deceased at the scene,” a police spokesperson said. “A report is being prepared for the Coroner.”

The Noosa Triathlon, held in Queensland, eastern Australia, is one of the top 10 triathlons in the world, according to organisers, with the course consisting of a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and a 10km run.

In a statement on Facebook, the Noosa Triathlon said it was “deeply saddened” to confirm the death of a race participant.

It also said the athlete received “immediate aid by fellow athletes towards the end of the swim” before being taken out of the water, at Main Beach in Noosa Heads.

“Our condolences go out to the athlete’s family and friends, whom we will continue to offer our support,” the statement said.

“We thank the athletes who stopped to provide aid, as well as the first responders and medical personnel who worked quickly to provide the athlete with medical support.”

This year’s event continued despite the death. The elite women’s race was won by Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle and the men’s category was won by New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde.

In addition to the world class field of athletes, the triathlon also caters for non-competitive participants. The event was celebrating its 40th anniversary this weekend.

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