A young father died after suffering heatstroke during an Ironman triathlon in Swansea, an inquest has heard. Sam Buchan, 31, from Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, was pulled from the water by a safety boat during the swimming leg of the event, which took place in mid-July amid a scorching heatwave with temperatures exceeding 28°C.
The father-of-one was seen struggling in the water before being rescued and given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Emergency services treated him in a medical tent before he was transported to Moriston Hospital in Swansea, where he died three days later.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as exertional heatstroke, which triggered a cardiac arrest. Assistant coroner Colin Phillips adjourned the hearing, with a full inquest scheduled for March 18 next year.
Sam was described by his family as a 'soulmate and husband loved beyond words' and an 'adored and very proud Dada Lion' to his daughter Ella. They also called him a 'precious and dearly loved son' and a 'great friend to many'.
The Ironman event comprised a 1.2-mile swim at the Prince of Wales Dock, followed by a 56-mile bike ride through Mumbles and the Gower coast. Organisers expressed their deepest condolences and praised the swift response of swim safety personnel and first responders.
