Ecuadorian Olympic Surfing Hopeful Israel Barona Tragically Passes Away
Tragedy has struck the surf community of Ecuador.
One of their best surfers, and a potential candiate for qualification in the Paris 2024 Olympics, Israel Brona, has sadly and mysteriously passed away in El Salvador.
He was 34 years old.
In a statement, the Olympics wrote:
Israel Barona, a 34-year-old surfer from Ecuador, has died in El Salvador on Tuesday, 31 October.
He had been in the Central American nation for a competition.
Barona took up surfing when he was 10 years old and started competing at the national level five years later. He has since won several national competitions and has also represented Ecuador at the World Surfing Games and Bolivarian Games, in addition to regularly taking part in events on the Men's Qualifying Series of the World Surf League (WSL).
Barona's sister Dominic Barona is a Tokyo 2020 Olympian and competed in the women's surfing competition at the 2023 Pan American Games this week.
"‘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. Rest in peace, champion...’" the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee published on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Additionally, his local surf community mourned the loss:
“Dear family of Our Great Friend Israel Barona,
“We deeply regret the loss of Israel. His memories and his legacy will live on in our hearts. In this time of deep sorrow, we would like to express our deepest condolences and support. May you find strength and comfort in the love and memories shared with Israel. We're here for whatever you need.
“With love and solidarity,
“The members of Montanita Surf club.”
No cause of death was immediately available.
RIP, Israel.
***
Don't miss another headline from SURFER! Subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on Instagram, and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of surfing. We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging surf-related videos to feature on our channels.
Whether you're a professional surfer or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on SURFER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality surf videos.