NYC triathlete Lin Chung dies at 34, found unconscious in swimming pool during Hamptons race

Lin Chung, a 34-year-old Queens resident, died after he was found unconscious during the swimming portion of the Mighty Hamptons Steve Tarpinian Memorial Triathlon in Sag Harbor on Sunday.Chung was competing in the 1.5 km swim when lifeguards noticed he was in distress in Noyack Bay. He was pulled from the water and given emergency medical treatment before being taken to a nearby hospital.Lin Chung dies during 1.5 km swim in Noyack BayLin Chung was taking part in the swim leg of the Mighty Hamptons Steve Tarpinian Memorial Triathlon on September 13, 2026. The event includes swimming, cycling and running, with the opening swim taking place in the waters off Long Beach in Sag Harbor.According to police and event officials, lifeguards saw Chung in trouble and quickly moved to rescue him. Other competitors also helped bring him out of the water.A group of swimmers used a paddleboard to get Chung to safety. A lifeguard immediately began performing CPR while the group worked to keep him on the board.Fellow triathlete Bill Hughes described the rescue effort to the Southampton Press.“We got him up on the paddleboard and then we- it was me and several women, I think the wave right before me must have been mostly women, we were kicking as hard as we could to try go keep him on the paddleboard,” Hughes said.“The lifeguard was doing CPR, chest compressions and turning him on his side and we were all working really hard to keep him from falling off the wet board. All credit to that lifeguard, I don’t know who the man was but it was a heroic effort by him”, he added.Additional lifeguards and police officers joined the emergency response after Chung was brought out of the water. An automated external defibrillator was also used as efforts to save him continued.Despite the emergency response, Chung could not be revived. He was transported to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.EventPower released a statement following the incident.“We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of a male athlete who suffered a medical emergency during the swim portion of yesterday’s Mighty Hamptons Triathlon,” the organizer said.“Our sport of triathlon lost a member of our beloved community. We extend our deepest condolences to the athlete’s family and friends and we offer them our support as they go through this unimaginable time”, the statement added.Officials have not announced what caused Chung’s death. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office is handling the investigation.The incident comes less than two weeks after another triathlete, Spencer Korwin, died in nearby Shelter Island. Korwin, a 38-year-old Manhattan resident and former Team USA triathlete, disappeared after going for a morning swim during a family vacation on September 2.A large search operation was launched after Korwin went missing near the Pridwin Hotel. His body was later found underneath the dock from where he had entered the water.In Chung’s case, officials have not said whether water conditions played a role. The investigation into his death remains ongoing.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.