Fitness influencer Mara Flávia has died while competing in the Ironman Texas triathlon. She was 38.
“We are saddened to confirm the death of a race participant during the swim portion of today’s Ironman Texas triathlon,” Ironman Texas confirmed in a statement shared via Facebook on Saturday, April 18. “We send our deepest sympathies to the family…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.”
The participant was confirmed as influencer Flávia, who had more than 60,000 Instagram followers, by Brazilian outlets O Globo and O Dia. Ironman Texas consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and ends with a 26.2-mile run, per the event’s website.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a news release via Facebook on Saturday that a “participant in today’s Ironman Triathlon in the Woodlands has drowned while participating in the swim portion of the event.”
“The Woodlands Fire Department completed the rescue in Lake Woodlands near North Shore Park,” the statement read. “Once it was determined the participant was deceased, The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office began their investigation into this drowning per normal protocols. MCSO Major Crimes detectives are on scene and will continue their investigation.”
In a Facebook post shared by volunteer Shawn McDonald, Flávia went underwater shortly after the start of the race.
“After the start, we paddled alongside swimmers, offering a hand — or a board — to anyone who needed a quick rest. Then we heard a whistle,” McDonald recalled. “A group of younger volunteers in a kayak on the far side of the field were raising a flag, blowing a whistle, yelling for help. Dozens of athletes were between us and them. I could see swimmers clinging to their kayak. I heard them say she went under.”
McDonald said he called out to athletes around them to stop so he could cross. He got to the other side in about 30 seconds and began diving under to search for the athlete.
“After about a minute underwater, I felt her body with my foot,” he recalled. “I surfaced, took what seemed like the deepest breath I have ever taken and went back down. She was gone. I don’t know how to describe what that felt like. I tried again. And again. And again. I just knew I would feel her again and could grab her and pull her up. I lost count of how many times I dove over the next hour.”
He continued, “When boats with sonar arrived and identified a target, I’d dive in that area. It never entered my mind that she had already passed long ago. I just kept searching like I was going to pull her up alive. Looking back, I was probably taking more risks than I should have. But I couldn’t stop.”
When the dive teams arrived, McDonald shared that he was “asked to exit the water.” Flávia’s body was recovered just after 9 a.m.
“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,” he wrote. “What breaks my heart most is imagining her family on shore, watching for her to exit the water and mount her bike. Refreshing the app. Waiting for her position to update. It never did. They never saw her come out.”
He continued, “Her name was Mara and she was from Brazil. She was someone’s whole world. 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.”
