Ironman triathlon competitor Col. Gene Montague, 51, dies during swim portion of race in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Modified Date: 
Wed, 05/03/2017 - 2:27pm
Accident Date: 
Sunday, May 22, 2016

Ironman triathlon competitor in Chattanooga dies

Race spokeswoman Ellie Seifert tells media outlets that an athlete required medical attention during the 2.4-mile swim portion of Sunday's event and Hamilton County emergency crews pulled him from the Tennessee River.

Athlete dies during Ironman as others gather to honor memory of friend

But word quickly spread of the death of an unidentified athlete who struggled early on the swim course. Emergency workers pulled the person from the water and administered CPR on the starting dock, even as other triathletes entered the water to begin their own races.

UPDATE: Man who died during Ironman Chattanooga remembered as 'beautiful person'

But on Facebook, friends and family members made posts memorializing Montague, 51, as the person who died in the event. They remembered him as a man who could achieve the rare balance of high-level accomplishment and happiness. They posted pictures of him in police uniforms, martial arts uniforms and military fatigues — almost always with a wide smile.

People Involved: 
Gene Montague

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