The 30-year-old complained of chest pains while swimming at the Fonquerne Sète pool in Sète, forcing him to exit the water and call for help.

The two-time Olympian is then reported to have gone into cardiac arrest as the emergency services were called to his aid.

Vilad, who had finished fifth in the Olympic triathlon at London 2012, was revived after a number of minutes and, upon regaining consciousness, flown to a hospital in nearby Montpellier.

The fiancé of New Zealand's top female triathlete, Andrea Hewitt, is now in a 48-hour induced coma.

Laurent Vidal's fiancé Andrea Hewitt has tweeted her thanks to those who have sent messages of support following the Frenchman's heart attack ©Twitter


Posting on her Twitter account, Hewitt has said she is travelling to France to be by Vidal's side.

"Thank you everyone for your kind words for Laurent," she said.

"Your support means so much.

"Shocked and so worried!

"I am travelling to be by his side."

Vidal is one of France's top triathletes having finished sixth at the International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series Grand Final in London last September.

In his two appearances in the 2014 season, Vidal finished 18th at the World Cup in Mooloolaba and 10th in New Plymouth last month.

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