Olympic surfing hopeful Katherine Diaz, 22, killed by lightning while training

“Katherine came over to hug her [friend], as soon as she finished hugging her, the noise was heard,” Diaz’s uncle, Beto Diaz, who says he was within the water along with her, instructed a newspaper in El Salvador. “She, the friend, was thrown by the force of the lightning strike too, the board threw me back. Katherine died instantly.”

The International Surfing Association (ISA) 2021 Surf City El Salvador World Surfing Games are set to be held from May 29 to June 6 on the La Bocana and El Sunzal seashores and can act as the ultimate qualifying match for Tokyo 2020, the place surfing will probably be making its debut Olympic look.

“Katherine embodied the joy and energy that make surfing so special and dear to us all, as a global ambassador of the sport,” the ISA stated of the surfer, whose brother, Jose Diaz, is the president of the Salvadoran Surf Federation (FESASURF).

“She excelled at the international competition level, representing her country with pride at both the ISA World Surfing Games and ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.

“We ship our heartfelt condolences to Katherine’s household, the surfers of El Salvador, and to all these within the worldwide surfing group whose lives she touched.”

FESASURF, ISA and El Salvador’s National Institute for Sport did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.