Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin, Australian Olympian, drowns on Gold Coast
The Australian Olympian Alex “Chumpy” Pullin has drowned on the Gold Coast.
Police said the 32-year-old died after being pulled from the surf at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.
Pullin, who had been spearfishing, was dragged unconscious from the water about 10.40am on Wednesday, police said.
“Another diver was out there and located him on the sea floor and raised the attention of nearby surfers who sought lifeguards to bring him in,” an officer told reporters.
“He didn’t have an oxygen mask, we understand he was free diving and spearfishing out on the reef.”
Lifeguards performed CPR but he was pronounced dead just before 11.15am.
Pullin, a two-time world snowboarding champion, was the Australian flag-bearer at the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics.
Snow Australia said the community was shocked and saddened by the triple Olympian’s passing.
“Our deepest condolences are with Alex’s family, as well as his teammates and support staff,” the governing body said in a statement.
“Alex was a beloved member of the Snow Australia community and he will be dearly missed.”
Olympic champion Steven Bradbury said Pullin would be badly missed.
“The world will miss such a talented human and a double world champion without ego and without selfishness who is everyone’s best mate – which isn’t always the case with elite athletes,” Bradbury told news website InQueensland.
“He was bound to be a positive influence on winter sports into the future and will be sorely missed.”
In an interview with Guardian Australia before the Sochi Games, Pullin talked of his passion for surfing and mountain-biking, and his love of summer, despite being a winter athlete. Reports said he was also a keen and experienced spearfisher.
Friends, sporting stars and journalists who knew Pullin paid tribute on social media to his generous nature as well as his sporting achievements.
Ian Chesterman, the Australian team’s chef de mission for the 2020 Olympics, described Pullin as a natural leader, calling it an “an incredibly sad day”.
“Chumpy was a champion bloke as well as being a champion athlete. He had great charisma that allowed him to be a natural leader,” Chesterman said.
“His enthusiasm was infectious and his impact on Olympic sport can’t be overstated.”
Former slalom ski world champion and independent MP Zali Stegall tweeted that it was a “very sad day for Aussie sport”.
“We don’t get many athletes in winter sport of his standard,” Stegall wrote.
Pullin was raised in the foothills of the Victorian Alps in Mansfield, the support town for the Mt Buller ski resort
His parents owned and ran a ski shop in Mansfield and, according to his website, he learnt to ski at the age of three.
He took up snowboarding when he was eight.