Dale Oen Died of Heart Disease, Olympic Swimmer Dies at 26 (VIDEO)
A world-class swimmer, predicted to have a chance at taking home the gold during the 2012 Olympics, has suddenly died at the age of 26 with heart disease suspected as the cause.
Alexander Dale Oen, the world 100 meters breaststroke champion, was found dead on April 30 while attending a training camp in Flagstaff, Arizona. The Norwegian swimmer was considered one of the country's best prospects for earning a medal in swimming during this summer's coming Olympics.
Oen was found lying half out of a bathtub at the training facility. Teammates had broken into the athlete's room when he was unresponsive. Emergency officials were called immediately and attempted to revive Oen, but attempts were unsuccessful. The cause of his death was not immediately known.
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Now however, based on new autopsy findings, it has been discovered that the athlete died of hereditary heart disease.
"Based on the autopsy findings and the investigative history that is available to me, it is my opinion that Alexander Dale-Oen died of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease," Coconino County medical examiner Lawrence Czarnecki wrote in a report, according to Yahoo Sports News. "The decedent's only known risk factor for heart disease was familial."
Oen apparently suffered from an undiagnosed case of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.
Swimming has in the past, been regarded as highly beneficial sport that improves cardiovascular conditioning. For typical athletes, the sport can offer extreme health benefits without over working the heart and also has a reduced risk of injury. In addition, even small amounts of swimming can improve blood pressure, reduce stress, and provide overall tone for muscles.
