Tragedy as female triathlon champion dies aged 39 after drowning as tributes pour in

TRIBUTES have poured in for a female triathlon champion who drowned in a freak accident aged 39.

Aninha Zuleica Xavier tragically passed away during a race in her native Brazil on Saturday.

Newsflash

Triathlete champion Aninha Zuleica Xavier tragically drowned in a freak accident[/caption]

The ace had gone into the Atlantic Ocean off Fortaleza with other competitors during the first part of the event.

But Xavier was not seen coming back out with the other athletes, leading her team to quickly raise the alarm with organisers.

A search quickly began for the mum-of-one, who worked as a teacher in her day job.

And rescuers soon found her floating and unresponsive in the sea.

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