Wichita triathlete dies in swim leg of Colorado Ironman, officials say

A Kansas man died a day after he was pulled from the water during the swimming leg of an Ironman triathlon in Colorado, officials said.

Scott Michaelis, 50, of Wichita was identified by the Boulder County coroner as the man who died, The Associated Press reported.

An athlete was pulled from the water and received medical attention before he was taken to a hospital on Saturday, Ironman 70.3 Boulder said in a Facebook post.

“It is with great sadness that we confirm this athlete passed away on Sunday evening,” the Ironman Facebook post said. “Our sincere condolences go out to the athlete’s family and friends, whom we will continue to support during this most difficult time.”

Physician Donald Cain told the Daily Camera in Boulder that he witnessed the emergency response, which included people performing CPR on the man for 10 to 15 minutes.

“The fact that he made it out of that water and out of that park to the hospital alive is really a testament to the coordinated effort that those folks put forward,” he told the Daily Camera. “(...) I really don’t think that they could have done a better job.”

Michaelis was a purchasing agent at Shelley Electric, an online obituary states. A Mass of Christian burial is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Church of the Magdalen. Memorial can be made to the American Cancer Society or The Lords Diner of Wichita.

This story was originally published August 7, 2018 at 7:58 PM.