Swimmer Kenneth To Dies at 26 While Training to Qualify for Olympics in Florida

Steve Helling
Updated

An elite swimmer died this week while training for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Hong Kong Sports Institute said in a statement.

Kenneth To fell ill during a training session in Florida on Monday, according to the Associated Press. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died, the Hong Kong Sports Institute said. He was 26.

The cause of To’s death was not immediately clear.

Born in Hong Kong, To moved to Australia as a child. He won six medals at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore, taking the gold medal in the 400-meter medley. He later won a silver medal as part of part of Australia’s 400-medley relay squad at the 2013 world championships in Barcelona.

To transferred his nationality back to Hong Kong in 2016. He was currently training for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

As part of that training, To traveled to America earlier this year. At the time of his death, he was training with the Gator Swim Club at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.

In the days before his death, To posted photos on Facebook of his training squad. “Thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing group,” he wrote on March 12.

His sudden death has shocked and saddened the world of competitive swimming. “Kenneth was an outstanding elite athlete who holds 17 Hong Kong records,” the Hong Kong Sports Institute said in the statement. “He had been an Elite Scholarship Athlete at the HKSI since August 2016. He was extremely popular and loved by his teammates and competitors. Kenneth was known as a truly exceptional person, warm, funny and kind. His sudden passing is a huge loss to local sports.”

“The swimming world has learnt with immense sadness about the death of Kenneth To,” Switzerland-based swimming governing body FINA said in a statement.

“Owner of many Hong Kong national swimming records, Kenneth To was a reference and example for the youth in the territory,” FINA continued. “In this moment of grief, we send our heartfelt condolences to To’s entourage and to the entire swimming community in Hong Kong.”