After the Ironman 70.3 Davao event on Sunday, March 26, the event organizers announced to the public that one of the participating athletes sadly died during the race.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of a race participant at IRONMAN 70.3 Davao. The athlete required medical attention during the swim portion of the race and was transported to a nearby hospital where they were treated,” the organizers announced in a Facebook post after the race.
It was later confirmed that the participating athlete was Jerry Kasim, a veteran swimming coach aged 49 years old. He ran a local team, the Jerry Aquatics Swimming Team, and was also an employee of DepEd in Davao City.
According to SunStar Davao, Kasim suffered from a heart attack during the swim leg of the race.
“Our condolences go out to the athlete’s family and friends, whom we will continue to support,” the event organizers also expressed in their Facebook post.
Nearly 1,700 triathletes from 46 different countries came to participate in the Ironman 70.3 in Davao. However, even as a widely popular sport among athletes, this tragic news should serve as a reminder that triathlon is still a very demanding sport, and athletes should always take their health conditions into care and consideration before every race.
Banner image from ALVEO Ironman 70.3 Davao on Facebook.
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