updated 6:48 p.m. ET July 20, 2008

NEW YORK - A 32-year-old man died during the New York City triathlon Sunday, the first death in the eight-year history of the event.

Race director Bill Burke said other competitors alerted medical personnel to the man during the 1,500-meter swim in the Hudson River, and he was unconscious when he was pulled from the water just before 8 a.m.

Burke said the man’s family was in Argentina, and he wasn’t being identified by race officials until they were contacted.

“It’s a tragic day for the event,” Burke said.

Ellen Borakove, a spokesman for the medical examiner’s office, said an autopsy will take place Monday.

About 3,000 competitors participated in the triathlon, which consisted of the swim in the Hudson River, a 40-kilometer bike ride along the Henry Hudson Parkway, and a 10-kilometer run in Central Park.

Greg Bennett, of Australia, won the men’s division in 1 hour, 46 minutes, 31 seconds. Liz Blatchford, also of Australia, was the women’s champion, finishing in 1:58:35.

There also was a death at last month’s Hy-Vee Triathlon, which was doubling as one part of the U.S. Olympic trials. A 46-year-old Iowa man died after he was pulled from the water.

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