Katherine Díaz died while practicing on El Tunco beach when she went to sea to surf
Salvadoran Katherine Díaz, of the Salvadoran surfer team, died after being struck by lightning During a day of training on El Tunco beach in central El Salvador, the Salvadoran Surfing Federation announced on Saturday.
Milton Flores, the Federation’s administrative manager, described the circumstances in which the 22-year-old athlete died on Friday as “something sudden and devastating”.
“When she entered the sea to sail, suddenly lightning flashed and I saw her fall, she was given immediate assistance.”Flowers story.
He added that when they arrived at a local health center, they were told he was already dead.
“Katherine was a born leader of the Salvadoran team and surfing,” so “it was a hard emotional and sporting blow,” the manager said.
Bryan Pérez, a Pan American bronze medalist in surfing, lamented Díaz’s death on his Instagram account. “We will miss you,” he wrote.
“You will always be here with us,” he concluded.
SUP surfer Josselyne Alabi also dedicated some emotional words to her: “Continue to enjoy the waves in the sky.”
“It is not easy for someone on your team to leave, but to leave in this way, it hurts and marks. We will feel you from the water and from the soul”, added the athlete.
The President of the National Sports Institute of El Salvador, Yamil Bukele, and the Minister of Tourism, Morena Valdéz, published messages of condolence and solidarity with Díaz’s family and friends.
His funeral is expected to take place on Sunday morning in the central department of La Libertad..
The young woman has been sailing since she was 9 years old. He participated in the 2012 Junior World Cup and the 2013 World Open in Panama, as well as the WSL Qualify Series in El Salvador in 2015 and 2016.
Her last official participation, according to El Grafico, was in the National Surf Circuit in November 2020, where she won first place in the women’s Open category.