The sport of triathlon is in shock after two competitors died at this week’s World Championships in Madrid, Spain.
One British and one Mexican competitor, both men competing in veteran age-groups, died on Friday (AEDT) while competing at the Torremolinos, near Malaga on the Mediterranean Costa del Sol, their national federations and the sport’s governing body confirmed.
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The Mexican Triathlon Federation announced “with deep sadness” that 79-year-old Roger Mas Colomer died during the event.
The British Federation didn’t name its athlete that passed away and neither organisation announced a cause of death, although local media later said the British man was 57 years old and had died from an apparent heart attack.
American Branden Scheel, a 28-year-old who competes in and is a coach for triathlon and ironman events, was in Madrid and he has slammed the lack of organisation and inexcusable deaths.
Scheel captioned a short video on Instagram: “Absolutely furious. We should not be losing athletes to poor awareness. Be better @worldtriathlon that was horrifying to see.”
Clearly shaken, he also recorded himself discussing the horrific events that had unfolded, blasting the rescue crafts that he said did virtually nothing to help.
“I just got back from the sprint distance,” Scheel begins.
- “I just want to say, World Triathlon, that was some of the worst lifeguarding, the worst awareness, the worst communication I’ve seen at an event, ever.
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