ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Maryland, June 9. ONE of the most popular open water events in the United States was dealt a major blow last weekend with the announcement of the death of competitor Robert Matysek.
According to a report by local TV station WBAL-TV, Matysek, 58, went into cardiac arrest about one mile into the 4.4-mile Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. Rescue crews pulled him from the water and transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Matysek is the older brother of Jim Matysek, the information technology director for U.S. Masters Swimming. Jim competed in the swim with other members of the Matysek family, finishing 97th overall. The swim featured 650 participants this year, according to WBAL. Andrew McKissick, who just completed his freshman year at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, won the event for the second year in a row in a time of 1:29:35.