Before the eyes of competitors: 34-year-old pulled from water during triathlon – dies

A 34-year-old triathlete from New York, Lin Chong, was pulled unconscious from the waters of Noyack Bay during the swim leg of the Hamptons Triathlon. Lifeguards performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital. Authorities suspect a sudden medical collapse. This is the second tragedy in the area in less than two weeks.

A severe tragedy occurred last Sunday during a triathlon competition in the Hamptons, New York, when Lin Chong, a 34-year-old Queens resident, collapsed and died. Chong was pulled from the waters of Noyack Bay while competing in the 1.5 km swim leg of the "Mighty Hamptons Steve Tarpinian Memorial Triathlon" held in Sag Harbor. According to police and event officials, lifeguards on site noticed Chong in distress and immediately rushed to rescue him from the water. A group of other swimmers helped lift Chong onto a surfboard while a lifeguard began CPR. Additional lifeguards and police officers who arrived continued resuscitation efforts, including the use of an AED device. Chong was quickly evacuated to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office has opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of the death. Official sources estimate that Chong suffered a sudden medical event during the competition, and that water conditions were not ruled out as a factor. This tragic event joins another tragedy that occurred less than two weeks earlier, when Spencer Corwin, a former U.S. national team triathlete and father of two, drowned in the Sound of Shelter Island on September 2. Shelter Island Police Chief Jim Reed commented on the previous incident, emphasizing that "these are open waters where tides, currents, and boat traffic are always considerations."