Death in the afternoon

It was in Torremolinos, Spain. The occasion: the Triathlon World Championship. The distance: 750 metres swim, 20 K bike and 5K run.

It should have been a great party. It is called the World Championship Finals, the last and main event of the year. The climax of the season.

But two competitors died. A 79 year old Mexican man in the swim and a 57 year old Briton in the run.

To make matters worse, it has been reported that more than 20 minutes had passed after the British competitor collapsed before the medical staff arrived at the scene. Triathlete magazine said the medical personnel were late because they had rushed to the swim incident. Were there not enough medical staff to attend to different emergencies in different places?

There has also been criticisms about the conditions of the swim course. It was late afternoon, the wind had picked up and the sea had become choppy, making it almost impossible for the kayakers to see the swimmers.

I have been to several triathlon events, including a couple of them when people died. The triathlon is a beautiful event but, let’s face it, it is dangerous. Over the years I have grown to believe that in many occasions triathlon officials have tended to find excuses for fatal incidents that happen in their watch.

Too many triathletes have died. It is time for race organizers to start doing better.