A Micro-Level Understanding of Triathlon Club Athletes Experiences of Safety Accidents in Swimming Events and Strategies for Improvement in D City

Objectives This study investigated safety accidents in triathlon swimming by examining the perceptions of male triathlon club participants in their 40s, with the aim of informing strategies to improve event operation and athlete safety. Methods This study used Photovoice, a participatory action research(PAR) method, involving male triathlon club members in their 40s registered with the Korea Sports Council and with 5–10 years of competition experience. Data were collected through participant photography and focus group interviews and analyzed inductively to identify key themes. Results Analysis of the focus group data revealed three main themes related to safety accidents in triathlon swimming events: 1)structural limitations of swimming events, 2)the desire to finish and accident risk, 3)the tension between desire and sense of achievement. Conclusions By applying a social ecological model, this study extends the understanding of safety accidents in triathlon swimming beyond individual negligence. The findings offer transferable insights for safety discourse in comparable sports contexts and may contribute to future policy and operational improvements in triathlon swimming events in Korea.