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Two Gauteng athletes, aged 29 and 37, died during the swimming event at the Specsavers Ironman 70.3 South Africa in East London on Sunday.
Ironman spokesman Michael Flanagan says the two men suffered suspected cardiac arrest during the swimming event.
He says they were treated on the scene before being transferred to St Dominics hospital.
"After consulting with the event's chief doctor it was confirmed that both athletes suffered cardiac respiratory arrest. The water team tried to resuscitate the athletes on scene and in the medical tent they were then transported to St Dominics for further specialist investigation and after re-assessment at the hospital they were pronounced dead" Flanagan said.
A minute's silence was held at last night's awards ceremony for the men who have been identified as 37-year-old Berton Bosman from Pretoria and 29-year-old Kevin Staessen of Johannesburg.
