Brazilian fitness influencer drowns during Ironman Texas triathlon

Memorial Hermann, a health system in Texas, is the title sponsor of Ironman Texas.

According to the event's website, Ironman Texas comprises a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run. On Saturday, the female swim portion began around 6:31 a.m. CT, according to the Ironman Texas schedule.

The Woodlands Fire Department told the Chron that crews were notified around 7:30 a.m. CT about a possible missing swimmer in Lake Woodlands. Araujo was recovered from the water around 9:30 a.m. CT and pronounced dead, according to the Houston-based outlet.

Who is Mara Flávia Araujo?

Araujo, 38, had over 61,000 Instagram followers at the time of her death. On her social media page, she shared fitness content, including photos and videos from previous Ironman races.

Her final post on April 17 was an advertisement for Hive Global, a wellness and supplement brand. Underneath this post, commenters offered their sympathies, including fellow Brazilian triathlete influencer Bia Neres, who wrote, "Still can't believe it! May you be at peace wherever you are—always a cherished person and a true lover of sports."

Shawn McDonald, a volunteer for the event, wrote in a Facebook post on April 18, "We lost an Ironman athlete this morning on the swim. This is hard to write."

"She had gone into that water chasing something most people only dream of finishing. She trained for it. She showed up for it. She deserved to come out of it," McDonald wrote about Araujo. "Her name was Mara and she was from Brazil. She was someone’s whole world."

McDonald added, "To her family: we did everything we could. I am so deeply, genuinely sorry that it wasn’t enough. She will stay with me. May she rest in peace. I will be praying for all of you and please do the same for us."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Popular fitness influencer drowns during Ironman triathlon in Texas