Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
2nd NYC Triathlon Death: Woman Dies After Suffering Cardiac Arrest During Swim
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Aug 8, 2011
Modified Aug 8, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Aug 8, 2011
Modified Aug 8, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A 40-year-old woman who suffered a heart attack during the swimming leg of yesterday's New York City Triathlon has died, the AP reports. According to Triathlon director Bill Burke, the woman hailed from Elmhurst, Illinois, and went into cardiac arrest twice. Michael Kudryk, 64, of Freehold, New Jersey also suffered a heart attack during the swim and was pronounced dead yesterday at St. Luke's. With these deaths, there have been three total in the 11 years that the Triathlon has been held—the first being the 2008 death of a 32-year-old man during the swim.
"Nobody goes into this event expecting this type of tragedy," Burke told the Times, "It's one of those unforeseen life events that happens when you get this many people to participate in physical activity." Last year the AMA released a report on triathlon deaths that found that 14 people died from competing in them from 2006 to 2008, 13 of them during the swimming leg, and 7 out of 9 of those people who had autopsies possessed "cardiovascular abnormalities."
The report goes on to detail why the swimming portion is more dangerous than the biking or running legs:
Because triathlons begin with chaotic, highly dense mass starts, involving up to 2000 largely novice competitors entering the water simultaneously, there is opportunity for bodily contact and exposure to cold turbulent water.3 Triathlons also pose inherent obstacles to identifying distressed athletes and initiating timely resuscitation on open water.
, "Kudryk, a metal-company executive," was an avid athlete and he "and his sons were in the relay-team division. He swam, as sons Michael, 40, and Christopher, 36, waited to handle the cycling and running portions."
This year, the Triathlon only allowed 20 swimmers to begin at a time, which one participant said "was very easy; you usually get kicked or whacked, and that didn't happen to me." Another participant was hospitalized yesterday for gashes on her back, legs, and elbow after striking a pothole on her bike while riding on the West Side Highway.
Tagged
athletes
cardiac arrest
heart attacks
new your city triathlon
triathlon
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Man shot and killed on Midtown subway platform Saturday afternoon, NYPD says
Police said they're searching for a person of interest.
By
Ryan Kost
and
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 17, 2026 at 1:16 p.m. ET
Modified Oct 17, 2026 at 4:10 p.m. ET
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
News
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
Being reigning champions is weird for Knicks fans, but we could get used to this.
By
Catalina Gonella
Tompkins Square Park is getting a makeover. Some say it's too much.
By
Willow Higgins
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
By
Rosemary Misdary
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .