U.S. open-water swimmer dies during race

[marmar]

PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Fran Crippen, a medal-winning open-water swimmer on the U.S. national team, told his coach he wasn’t feeling well late in a race before he died in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

The 26-year-old from a family of prominent swimmers in suburban Philadelphia was competing in the FINA Open Water 10-kilometer World Cup in Fujairah, south of Dubai, but failed to finish and was found in the water two hours later, according to Swimming World.

The magazine said the water temperature was in the mid- to high-80s, and several swimmers were treated for heat exhaustion after the race.

Swimmers were the first to respond when Crippen failed to arrive at the finish. Several returned to the water to search for him and were soon followed by a dive team. Crippen’s body was found just before the last buoy on the 2-kilometer triangular course, race organizers said.

He was rushed to shore and transported to Fujairah Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=txswimmerdies

[seabeyond]

1. isnt that something. i was a competitive swimmer for a decade and half. i had a

friend on the team who went off to college. all his life ahead. he worked in oil field during the summer. got hit on the head, rolled down hill and landed face first in a puddle of water and drowned.

to have outstounding swimmers die by drowning. just an ironic way to go.

[undeterred]

2. This is really sad

I guess the water temperature was too warm and he had no way to alert that he needed help.

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/25369.asp?q=Passages:-Fran-Crippen,-26---FINA,-USA-Swimming,-USOC-Release-Statements---%3Cfont-color=red%3EUpdated%3C/font%3E

[joeybee12]

3. Just saw somewhere the officials said it was a heart attack...

geesh, only 26, very, very sad.