Athlete drowns during Ironman Texas triathlon
A Brazilian triathlete died after drowning during an Ironman competition in Texas over the weekend, according to local police.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office confirmed to ABC News on Monday that Brazilian athlete Mara Flávia Souza Araújo, 38, died Saturday while competing in the Ironman event in the Woodlands.
"Preliminary investigations indicate she drowned during the swimming portion of the event," the sheriff's office said.
In a Facebook post detailing the incident, the sheriff's office wrote, "The Woodlands Fire Department completed the rescue in Lake Woodlands near North Shore Park. Once it was determined the participant was deceased, The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office began their investigation into this drowning per normal protocols."
The post also included a link to allow friends and family of Ironman participants to track their loved ones competing in the event via an app.
Social media posts shared by the woman, who went by Mara Flávia on Instagram, show her training for events, DJing, and hugging her dog. Several feature her holding up Ironman finisher medals or plaques.
Flávia had a significant following online with more than 60,000 followers on Instagram. One post dated April 16 shows her sitting poolside, wearing a swim cap and goggles, alongside the caption, "Just another day of work!"
According to its website, the Ironman competition in The Woodlands -- a neighborhood located north of Houston, Texas -- begins with a "2.4-mile, spectator-lined lake swim," followed by a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run.
The website states that the swimming portion of the event takes place at Lake Woodlands in North Shore Park.
"Because the freshwater lake maintains an average temperature of 74 degrees, be prepared to swim with or without a wetsuit," the website reads.
ABC News has reached out to Ironman for additional information.
The Ironman in Texas Facebook page also shared a post on Saturday confirming Flávia's death.
"We are saddened to confirm the death of a race participant during the swim portion of today's IRONMAN Texas triathlon," the post reads. "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. Our gratitude goes out to the first responders for their assistance."
