Laurent Vidal Suffers Heart Attack

New Zealand-based French triathlete Laurent Vidal has suffered a heart attack while training in France, according to several news sources.

Vidal felt pain in his chest while training at a pool in Sete, in the south of France, and went into cardiac arrest, French media reports say.

The 30-year-old was revived by firefighters and transported by helicopter to a hospital in nearby Montpellier.

Vidal is the fiance of top ITU triathlete Andrea Hewitt. Hewitt is traveling to France to be with him but tweeted: ”Thank you everyone for your kind words for Laurent. Your support means so much. Shocked and so worried! I am traveling to be by his side.”

Vidal, who was fifth at the 2012 London Olympics, was expected to be in an induced coma for about 48 hours, reports said.

Read more: Stuff.co.nz