Mara Flávia, a triathlete with a huge following InstagramA man tragically drowned during an endurance swim at the prestigious Ironman triathlon in Texas on Saturday.
According to the US “Sun” report, “Mara is an outstanding triathlete, finishing third in the Brasilia Triathlon and twice qualifying for the world in Ironman 70.3.”
“Friend Luis Tavera suggested Mara had health issues, although her cause of death has not yet been announced.”
Who is Mara Flavia?
The 38-year-old Brazilian The influencer, who has more than 60,000 followers on Instagram, went missing during an open water swim in Lake Woodland, the first of three grueling tests competitors face during the 140-mile race.
Frantic calls started pouring into Montgomery County Sheriff’s The Woodlands Fire Department and the Woodlands Township Fire Department arrived as early as 6 a.m., Fox 26 reported. The Woodlands Fire Chief Palmer Buck told Click2Houston that crews were first alerted about the “missing swimmer” around 7:30 a.m.
According to the Texas Ironman schedule, the professional women’s swim race begins at 6:31 a.m.
Rescue teams searched the lake while the triathlon was still underway, which Buck said exacerbated the difficult conditions and gave the dive team “zero” visibility.
One triathlon volunteer poignantly described the “panic and fear” he and other onlookers felt when Flavia – a man none of them knew – disappeared underwater. According to him, they all reported the same thing: “She was submerged. Right here. Right below us.”
Chilling details
According to “Spun”, a close friend of the female athlete revealed that she was feeling unwell before the competition.
“She had been ill before the trip and was not in good health,” the friend said.
“My wife and I spoke to her and said she was too weak to play this game, even though when we spoke to her a few days ago she insisted she was fine. I still can’t believe what happened.”
