Authorities are investigating after Mara Flávia died during the swim portion of the Ironman Texas on Saturday.
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The 38-year-old competitor went under the water early in the race at Lake Woodlands in The Woodlands, Texas, according to officials, via People. Rescue efforts began quickly, but she was later pronounced dead at the scene.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a participant had drowned and said its major crimes unit has launched a standard investigation into the incident. Authorities did not initially release her identity, though Brazilian outlets later identified her as Flávia.
Mara Flávia/Instagram
Ironman organizers also addressed the tragedy, sharing condolences with her family and thanking first responders who rushed to help.
The race itself is one of the sport's most demanding, featuring a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a full marathon to finish.
A volunteer on the water described the moment things turned urgent. Swimmers began signaling for help, saying someone had gone under. Multiple rescue attempts followed as lifeguards and nearby participants tried to locate her.
Flávia's body was eventually recovered later that morning.
Beyond competition, she had built a following online, documenting her triathlon journey for more than 60,000 followers. Before that, she worked in journalism and communications in Brazil before shifting into endurance sports.
