A 51-year-old man from Colorado died after a medical emergency during Saturday’s Ironman 70.3 Wisconsin in Madison, Madison Fire Department spokesperson Cynthia Schuster told the Wisconsin State Journal, as reported by The Athletic. Ironman USA Midwest confirmed the death in a social-media post but did not identify the athlete or provide additional details. His cause of death has not been disclosed.
The emergency happened during the 1.2-mile swim in Lake Monona. Schuster said the first call for help came at 7:47 a.m., and firefighters and paramedics responded, according to The Athletic. A UW Lake Rescue boat brought the man to shore, where responders treated him before taking him to a hospital. Treatment continued during transport, but he died at the hospital.
Earlier fatalities linked to the events
The death follows at least three other fatalities connected to Ironman Wisconsin events since 2019, according to Madison.com. In 2023, Dax Bakken, a 51-year-old Madison military veteran, died after a medical crisis during the bike portion of the full Ironman Wisconsin in Cross Plains. That race covers 140.6 miles, including a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run.
Two competitors died during the swim of the half-Ironman event in June 2019: Madison firefighter Todd Mahoney, 38, and Michael McCulloch, 61, according to CBS 58 Milwaukee. The half-distance race consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run.
How Madison monitors Lake Monona
According to Public Health Madison & Dane County, officials test recreational waters for E. coli bacteria and blue-green algae and their toxins, and close beaches when results are concerning. City of Madison Parks says Public Health Madison & Dane County monitors lake water quality from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Ironman 70.3 Wisconsin brings competitors to Madison for an open-water swim in Lake Monona before the bike and running portions of the course. The organizer has not publicly released the latest athlete’s name or further details about the medical emergency.
