French triathlete Laurent Vidal suffered a cardiac arrest in training yesterday and has been fighting for his life in Montpellier hospital ever since. During swimming training, the Olympic fifth place in London collapsed and was then resuscitated for several minutes. Doctors put him in an induced coma to stabilize him.
Vidal has been able to establish himself in the short distance in recent years and is currently considered the strongest Frenchman. In 2013 he finished the World Triathlon Series in seventh place and again this year he focused on the top ten. For the Rio games, the hopes of the French rested on his shoulders.