Fitness influencer drowns during swimming portion of Ironman Texas

TL;DR

Mara Flavia Souza Araujo, a Brazilian fitness influencer, drowned during the swimming portion of Ironman Texas. Her body was found 90 minutes after she was reported missing in the water.

Key points

Mara Flavia Souza Araujo drowned during Ironman Texas.
She was reported missing around 7:30 am and found 90 minutes later.
Araujo was an experienced triathlete with over 60,000 Instagram followers.

Mentioned in this story

Mara Flavia Souza AraujoThe Woodlands

Ironman Texas

Ironman Texas took place on Saturday. Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for IRONMAN (Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for IRONMAN) A Brazilian fitness influencer has died after getting into difficulty during the swimming portion of an ironman event in Texas. Mara Flavia Souza Araujo was reported as a “lost swimmer” around 7.30am at the Ironman Texas in Lake Woodlands near Houston on Saturday. According to KPRC 2 News, safety crews could not immediately locate Araujo. The 38-year-old’s body was discovered around 90 minutes later in 10ft of water by divers. She was pronounced dead on the scene. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department confirmed her identity in a statement to NBC on Monday. “MCSO can confirm that Mara Flavia Souza Araujo, 38, of Brazil died while competing in the Ironman event in The Woodlands on Saturday,” the sheriff’s department told NBC News. “Preliminary investigations indicate she drowned during the swimming portion of the event.” Araujo was an experienced triathlete and had completed at least nine ironman events since 2018. She had more than 60,000 followers on Instagram and had posted about the importance of making the most out of life in the days before her death. “Enjoy this ride on the bullet train that is life,” she wrote in Portuguese. “And even with the speed of the machine blurring the landscape, look out the window – for at any moment, the train will drop you off at the eternal station.” Organizers of the race expressed their condolences on Saturday. “We send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the athlete and will offer them our support as they go through this very difficult time,” race organizers said in a statement on Saturday. “Our gratitude goes out to the first responders for their assistance.”

Q&A

What happened to Mara Flavia Souza Araujo during Ironman Texas?

Mara Flavia Souza Araujo drowned while competing in the swimming portion of Ironman Texas.

How did the authorities confirm the identity of the drowned swimmer?

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Araujo's identity after her body was discovered in the water.

What were Mara Flavia Souza Araujo's achievements as a triathlete?

Araujo was an experienced triathlete who had completed at least nine Ironman events since 2018.