Brazilian triathlete Mara Flávia Araújo has died during the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas event. The 38-year-old athlete disappeared during the swimming portion of the race taking place at Lake Woodlands.
The alert was raised when it was noticed that a participant had not completed the nearly 4-kilometer swimming course. Rescue teams began searching around one of the buoys on the course, where she was last seen. Despite being found and quickly rescued, her life could not be saved.
The event organizers confirmed the death through a statement on their social media: "We are saddened to confirm the death of a participant in the race during the swimming portion of today's Ironman Texas triathlon. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends and offer our support in these difficult times. Thanks to the emergency services for their swift response," they said in their post.
Mara Flavia Araujo looked radiant before the race, in the last message she shared on her Instagram account. "Another day at work."
One of the athlete's closest friends, Luis Taveira, points to the hypothesis of a health issue with the triathlete. "She was sick before the trip, she was not feeling well. My wife and I spoke to her to tell her she was too weak for this race, although a couple of days ago, when we talked to her, she insisted she was fine. She was weakened by the flu, but kept training hard. I still can't believe what has happened," he stated.
Due to her popularity on social media, her tragic death has sparked a wave of reactions and messages of condolence among sports professionals and also among her followers.