22-year old Brazilian swimmer Sarah Correa, a silver medalist at the 2011 Pan American Games, has died in Brazil after being hit by a car while waiting at a bus stop on Friday near her home in Rio de Janeiro, according to her mother. Correa died from serious head injuries.
The death was announced by her mother, Maria Fatima Alves Goncalves, on her Facebook page. Later in the day, according to Globo Esporte, the Municipal Department of Health declared her brain dead after running tests.
Correa announced her retirement late in 2014 to focus on her career as a model, but before that she was a member of the Brazilian 800 free relay that took silver at the 2011 Pan American Games. She also won a South American Games gold on Brazil’s 800 free relay in 2010.
This Facebook page has been set up requesting prayers for Correa and has posted multiple updates on her condition.
Initial reports say that the driver of the car fled the scene of the accident.
Correa is the second elite Brazilian swimmer to be seriously injured or killed by a car in the last 18 months. In 2013, a highly-rated junior swimmer was hit by a car while at a meet.
The UN could give us more help asking the Brazilian authorities solve the problem of the murders and traffic fatalities. Ricardo dos Santos, Sarah Correa are two deaths of athletes in less than six months, but we have much more, hundreds of Brazilian and unknown dead. :/
What a horrible, sudden death and shocking loss of young life! I wish her family and friends strength in this time of extreme grief!