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Israel Barona, a 34-year-old surfer from Ecuador, tragically passed away in El Salvador on Tuesday, October 31. Barona was in El Salvador for a competition, as Olympics.com reports.
The National Police of El Salvador wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Barona “suffered seizures while he was in a hotel in El Zonte, La Libertad. He was taken to a hospital, however he was already deceased. Homicide is ruled out.”
Barona began surfing at the age of 10. When he was 15, he started competing at the national level and would go on to win several national competitions. He also represented Ecuador at the World Surfing Games and Bolivarian games. During that time, he also competed in the Men’s Qualifying Series for the World Surf League.
Barona’s sister, Dominic Barona, is a fierce competitor as well. She represented Ecuador in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and most recently the 2023 Pan American Games.
“The Olympic Movement extends its heartfelt condolences to the Barona Matute family, following the death of the great athlete of Team Ecuador Surf, Israel Barona Matute,” wrote the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee on X, “Rest in peace, champion…”
NOTA DE PESAR |
El olimpismo extiende sus sentidas condolencias a la familia Barona Matute, frente al deceso del gran deportista del #TeamEcuador Surf, Israel Barona Matute. Descansa en paz campeón…@wsl @ISAsurfing @PASA_Surf @SurfEcuador pic.twitter.com/ZC6MYWeNHW
— Comite_Olimpico_Ecu (@ECUADORolimpico) October 31, 2023
