Langkawi - October 7, 2023

Several participants of the international Ironman triathlon event in Langkawi collapsed from excess strain and have been sent to hospital for treatment. 

The internationally renowned Ironman triathlon took place in Langkawi on the dawn of the 7th of October 2023, and news is currently surfacing of one participant drowning during the first leg of the event. 

Assistant Police Commissioner Shariman, the head of the Langkawi Police District, later confirmed this news to the media and explained that the incident occurred during the swimming portion of the Ironman event at Pantai Kok Beach. 

He was reported as saying several Ironman Langkawi participants were rescued while participating in the swimming segment of Ironman at Pantai Kok. He further elaborated that they were rushed to Sultanah Maliha Hospital in Langkawi, with one losing consciousness.

"A female participant and two male participants drowned and were subsequently taken to the hospital. One person has not yet regained consciousness."

The female victim has been identified as Muhaini Mahmud, a resident of Kuala Lumpur, as indicated in a Facebook post made by her niece, Nafisah Hani, around 8pm.

Sadly, just hours ago doctors of the intensive care unit at Sultanah Maliha Hospital declared her to be brain dead.

Checks on Muhaini's social media account showed that she is a co-founder of Kiddocaremy and a former director of corporate affairs at the Weststar Group.

She was a staunch advocate of empowering women and parents through technology, the former director of corporate affairs at the Weststar Group and former actuarial consultant at Actuarial Partners Consulting had more than a decade of experience in the corporate world. 

Earlier this year, Muhaini participated in the Selangor Duathlon 2023 and came in third place in the 45 years and above women's sprint. A fitness and sports enthusiast, Muhaini was a devoted mother, opening up about her experiences with first-time motherhood to Tatler in a 2018 Mother’s Day interview.

Here is a link to the video that has been posted on social media of the incident. 

The Ironman Triathlon consists of a full race covering 3.8 kilometres of swimming, 180 kilometres of cycling, and 42 kilometres of running, while the 70.3 half race includes 1.9 kilometres of swimming, 90 kilometres of cycling, and 21 kilometres of running.

This year's 70.3 half race is also the Asia-Pacific Championship, attracting 690 participants, including 30 international athletes, competing for a total prize pool of RM350,000.

In the main full race, over 588 participants from around the world of all ages had joined to complete the competition within a 17-hour time limit to earn the title of Ironman. The half Ironman race had over 1,400 participants including relay teams battling it out across Langkawi island. 

The Ironman Langkawi triathlon is an annual event in Malaysia, alongside the Desaru event in Johor, attracting thousands of challengers from across the globe. The events are known for their immense distances and grand feats of endurance, and the crew are well-trained and uphold the highest standards of safety and professionalism.

To watch the video of the swim segment, check out the YouTube video: 

Source: Nanyang Media

Photo & video credit: Teh Hock Aun