A man who competed in Salem’s Ironman 70.3 died Tuesday after suffering an unspecified medical emergency during the swim portion of the Sunday race.
Paddleboarders acting as water safety personnel on the Willamette River during the swim recognized the man was in distress in the water, said Brian Carrara, Salem Fire Department deputy chief for administrative services.
Paddleboarders took the man to medics on shore and a fire engine was diverted to help.
The call came in shortly after the race start at 6:15 a.m. Race participants swim 1.2 miles down the Willamette River, starting at Minto-Brown Island Park and coming out at Riverfront Park before beginning a 56-mile bike ride.
Carrara declined to say the nature of the medical emergency, citing medical privacy laws. He said a CPR device was used on the man and he was taken to the hospital. He did not know the man’s age.
Ironman 70.3 Oregon announced the death in a statement on Facebook Wednesday evening. In response to questions from Salem Reporter, the organization declined to identify the athlete, his age or where he lived, or provide more details about what happened.
“We send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the athlete and will continue to offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time. Our gratitude goes out to the water safety personnel and first responders for their quick work in assisting the athlete,” the statement said.
Carrara said this is the first death of an Ironman participant he’s aware of in the four years the city has hosted the race.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
