CROSS PLAINS, Wis. — A man competing in Ironman Wisconsin fell ill Sunday during the bike portion of the grueling triathlon and later died at a hospital, officials said Monday.
Ironman Wisconsin said in a statement posted on Facebook that the competitor needed medical attention during the bike portion and died at a local hospital after being assisted by a race staff member and an off-duty police officer.
The Dane County Sheriff's Office said the man who died was a 51-year-old from Madison, Wisconsin, who had suffered “a medical event” in the town of Cross Plains.
In its Facebook post, Ironman Wisconsin thanked "event personnel and first responders who worked to provide the athlete with medical support.”
“We share our deepest condolences with the family and friends of the athlete and will continue to offer them our support as they go through what is a very difficult time,” Ironman Wisconsin added.
The full 140.6-mile (226-kilometer) Ironman contest Sunday included a 2.4-mile (3.9-kilometer) swim, a 112-mile (180-kilometer) bike ride and a 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) run.
Two athletes died in 2019 after being pulled from Lake Monona during the swim portion of the Ironman 70.3 Wisconsin triathlon. That race was half of the full 140.6-mile Ironman contested Sunday.
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