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| Emergency workers give first-aid treatment to the American water polo player at the INA World Masters Championships in Gwangju, Sunday. Yonhap |
By Jung Min-ho
An American water polo player has died after having an acute heart attack at the FINA World Masters Championships in Gwangju, organizers said Sunday.
According to the organizing committee, the player, 70, whose identity is being withheld, lost consciousness during Saturday's match against the Australia at around 2:28 p.m.
He was immediately taken out of the water for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and brought to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery. He was pronounced dead at around 5:30 a.m. the next day.
He had reportedly suffered from angina and arteriosclerosis for a long time.
The committee said officials would meet his family members at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to discuss returning the body to the U.S.
The 18th FINA World Masters Championships, which began on Aug. 5, is a biennial global festival for aquatic sports enthusiasts. Gwangju hosted the 18th FINA World Championships for elite aquatics sports athletes from July 12-28.
About 6,000 aquatic sports enthusiasts from 84 countries are competing in 59 events across five disciplines ― swimming, diving, water polo, open water swimming and artistic swimming ― at the city and neighboring Yeosu. The event will end on Aug. 18.
