Mara Flávia, a 38-year-old Brazilian triathlete and social media influencer, tragically drowned during the swimming segment of the Ironman competition in Texas.
Flávia, who had over 60,000 followers on Instagram, was an accomplished triathlete with two world qualifications for the Ironman 70.3.
A friend revealed that Flávia had been unwell leading up to the competition, saying 'she wasn't okay.'
Rescue teams searched the lake while the triathlon was still in progress, but the difficult conditions and zero visibility made the search challenging.
A volunteer at the Ironman event described the 'panic and fear' that onlookers felt when Flávia disappeared beneath the water.
