The 2013 IRONMAN World Champion Frederik Van Lierde was attacked by a group of teenagers in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, knocked unconscious and then robbed of his phone, reports the South African Herald Live newspaper.

Van Lierde had won the 2015 Standard Bank IRONMAN South Africa and was back in South Africa to compete in this African championship race. The fast and popular Belgian had been there since March 13th and the actual race is scheduled for April 2nd.

According to the Herald Live report Van Lierde was ambushed by a group of teenagers this afternoon on Victoria Drive in Port Elizabeth and then allegedly hit with a stick, causing him to fall unconscious. The perpetrators then robbed him of his iPhone 7.

Van Lierde was taken to Life St. George's Hospital in Port Elizabeth but word has it that he has been discharged already.

The paper also wrote that another cyclist reported being attacked on the same road. His backpack was apparently stolen during that attack.