Authorities in Texas are investigating after a woman, who multiple reports identified as a popular Brazilian fitness influencer, drowned during the swimming portion of an Ironman triathlon over the weekend.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, in a Facebook post on Saturday, April 18, said, "A participant in today’s Ironman Triathlon in the Woodlands has drowned while participating in the swim portion of the event."
Firefighters rescued the woman from Lake Woodlands, located in the Woodlands area, a major suburb of Houston, the sheriff's office said. The sheriff's office did not release the participant's name; however, Brazilian outlets O Globo and O Dia identified her as Brazilian triathlete and influencer Mara Flávia Araujo. Her name also appears on the Montgomery County Medical Examiner's website.
"Our deepest sympathy goes to the family and friends of this participant," the sheriff's office said, adding that its major crime detectives were on the scene April 18 investigating.
Ironman Texas also released a statement on Saturday regarding the participant's death, which reads: "We are saddened to confirm the death of a race participant during the swim portion of today’s IRONMAN Texas triathlon."
"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," the statement, posted on the event's Facebook page, continues. "Our gratitude goes out to the first responders for their assistance."
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.
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