The surf star in Ecuador, Israel Baronawho aspired to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and who won several national championships that allowed him to represent Ecuador on the international stage, died at the age of 34 in a hotel in The Savior.

The Salvadoran National Civil Police (PNC) reported that Joshua Israel Barona He suffered convulsions in a hotel in Zonte (La Libertad) and was rushed to hospital, where it was only possible to certify the surfer’s death. According to the EXPRESO newspaper, Israel Barona He had a heart attack after dinner.

Javier Aguirreformer president of the Ecuadorian Surfing Federation and current vice president of the organization Pan American Surfingtold EXPRESO: “What we know is that it is not a training or surfing accident; it all happened after dinner with his wife. Married (Canadian surfer) and his grandson Tiago. They went to bed and apparently he started having trouble breathing, then the seizures came… eventually all of this happened. We do not know Exactly “what inconvenience he must have had or the exact cause of death, but he was with his wife.” Javier Aguirre He also detailed that Baroness He was assisted by his wife, but being approximately 45 minutes from the nearest hospital, “There was nothing they could do.”

The Ecuadorian Olympic Committee confirmed the death of Israel Barona and confirmed that the surfer was in El Salvador to participate in a competition. Sébastien PalaciosMinister of Sports, lamented his death: “The Olympic Movement presents its most sincere condolences to the family Baroness Matuteafter the death of the great athlete of Team Equateur Surf, Israel Barona Matute. Rest in peace champion. Extremely moved by the untimely death of Israel Barona, Ecuadorian surfer. My condolences to all his family and friends. We are with you”.