Just looked it up. This athlete got 2nd place in the 3 mile kayak + 1 mile swim with fins in 2021.
That suggests to me the guy wasn’t a novice swimmer.
It’s highly likely, just as in all open water swim competitions, he had some heart issues that initiated the distress.
I’m not excusing the safety staff, but I’m imagining these “lifeguards” are of a similar vein to the typical pool lifeguard who faces down corn pop.
I read elsewhere that someone from the shoreline saw he was in distress and ran in the water to save him. I think he was lost underwater for a bit, but that’s just based on my reading/inferences about the event earlier in the day.
I would not be the least surprised if the kayak had made it over to him before he went under if he still would have died.
Real sad though and a learning leasing for everyone involved and watching.