'Strong swimmer' dies in Ironman Philippines race

The country's first Ironman competition – the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman Philippines 70.3-mile race – was struck by tragedy after a 52-year-old competitor, Miguel Vazquez of the Team Alamat relay team, died during the swim leg on Sunday at the CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC). Miguel Vazquez, the designated swimmer for the Team Alamat relay team, died during the second loop of the 1.2-mile swim phase at the CWC’s man-made Cable Park lake. His teammate Johann Espiritu was waiting for him to appear and hand him the timing chip to signify his own start in the bike leg, but Vazquez did not show up after more than an hour. Vazquez was later found unconscious near the shore of the said lake, and was brought to a nearby hospital to be revived. Initial reports pointed to heart attack as the cause of death, and investigations were still ongoing, according to Wilfred Uytengsu, Jr., president of the event’s organizer, Sunrise Events, Inc. “Miguel was a personal friend of mine," Uytengsu said in an official statement. “Our deepest condolences to the family who have been informed of this tragedy and we will extend all necessary assistance." Uytengsu described Vazquez, husband of GMA Network board member Judith Duavit Vazquez, as a “strong swimmer," having recently participated in an open-water swim in Batangas. But in long-distance endurance races such as this, Uytengsu said, “deaths do occur and almost all of them do happen in the swim leg." “This is always a risk but whenever this happens, it is deeply saddening," said Uytengsu, himself a triathlete. Vazquez, who was president of Permanent Plans, was the anchor of Team Alamat in the relay competitions, where a team of three would divide the task of negotiating the 70.3-mile total distance. Vazquez was assigned to handle the 1.2-mile swim phase, teammate Espiritu the 56-mile bike stage and Patrick Garcia the 13.1-mile run leg. - Trina Ibarle-Orquiza, GMANews.TV