LONDON — Two men died during t🍷he swimming portion of an Ironman event in Ireland on Sunday,🍃 local authorities said.
Cork Cou﷽nty Council 🌃said it was “deeply saddened over the tragic loss of two race participants” during the event in Youghal in southwest Ireland.
Irish broadcaster RTE said the two men, one in his mid-60s and one in his mid-40s, died in separa𝕴te incidents during the 1.9 kilometer (1.2 mile) swimming portion of the competitio🗹n.
The event had originally been schedul💙ed for Saturday but was pushed back one day because of severe weather co✅nditions.
“During the swim portion of Sunday’s race, safety personnel provided immediate medica🌜l attention upon recognizing the athletes were in need of assistance,” organizer Ironman Ireland said in a statement ꧅on Facebook.
“We share our greatest sympathies with the families and friends of the athletes and will continue to offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time. We thank the safety personnel and first responders who worked quickly to p🔯rovide the athletes with medical assistance.”
Both men were p🐓ronounced dead at the scene, l෴ocal media reported.
They🦩 were competing in a so-called half Ironman event, which also features a 90 kilometer (56 mile) bike course and a 21.1 kilometer 🅺(13.1 mile) run.