Australian dual world snowboard champion and Winter Olympian Alex "Chumpy" Pullin has died while spearfishing on the Gold Coast.
Pullin was the flag bearer for Australia at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Police have confirmed a 32-year-old man was unconscious when dragged from the water at Palm Beach around 10.40am on Wednesday.
Lifeguards performed CPR and paramedics attended the incident at Nineteenth Ave, but the man was pronounced dead just before 11.15am.
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"Paramedics were called to a post-immersion incident. One patient was treated at the scene," a Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said.
Olympic champion Steven Bradbury said Pullin will be sorely missed and was everyone's best mate.
"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."
The Australian Olympic Committee will issue a statement later on Wednesday.
