Competitor dies during swim portion of Ironman race north of Brisbane, Australia

MOOLOOLABA, Australia – Officials said a 39-year-old male competitor died Sunday after being pulled unconscious from the swim portion of an Ironman event on Queensland's Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane.

Ironman Asia Pacific chief executive Geoff Meyer confirmed the man from Victoria state suffered a suspected heart attack during the 1.9-kilometer swim leg in the Pacific Ocean surf off Mooloolaba.

Meyer says the race's medical team "worked on the gentleman for over half an hour ... but were not able to revive him. The thoughts from the medical team was that it was a heart attack."

He said the so-called "70.3" Ironman race — the swim followed by a 90-kilometer bike ride and a 21.1-kilometer run — continued as planned.