22-year-old woman collapses and dies while performing squats in gym

A 22-year-old woman died suddenly after collapsing while performing barbell squats at the gym.

Ariatna Lizeth Mata Esparza had been working out her legs at a gym in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico when she suddenly collapsed.

Paramedics rushed to the scene but found that Ariatna did not have any vital signs, and the 22-year-old was tragically declared dead at the scene.

Ariatna Lizeth Mata Esparza died while working out at the gym. (Jam Press)

Ariatna worked as a teacher is a nursery and had just taken an exam to move into a new job.

She had been expecting to receive the results of the exam on the day that she died.

An animal lover, Ariatna frequently made posts online about dogs which were up for adoption.

In her final social media post, she wrote: "It makes me laugh when people say 'don't humanize your dog', when he's the one humanizing me."

A post-mortem examination found that Ariatna had died from a condition called anoxaemia - a condition where there is not enough oxygen circulating in the blood.

The 22-year-old collapsed while exercising. (Jam Press)

The anoxaemia was also followed by an acute, non-traumatic cerebral haemorrhage and 'generalised thromboembolism'.

A thromboembolism is the technical terminology for a blood clot which obstructs the flow of blood through the body.

Thromboembolism can have a number of causes, but people are generally most at risk following surgery, injury, or inflammation and infection.

Experts have also said that anoxaemia can be made worse by increased exertion or effort.

This could suggest that Ariatna's collapse was connected to the weight that she had been squatting, though this has not been confirmed.

Other gym-goers were left horrified when she fell to the ground in front of them, seemingly out of nowhere.

Ariatna had been working as a teacher. (Jam Press)

In a post on social media Ariatna's mother Selene Esparza paid tribute to her daughter, writing: "My princess, my girl, you’ve gone and left us with empty souls and shattered hearts.

"Fly high, my love, very high. Here on earth, you were already a light guiding those who crossed your path, and now you are a light illuminating the angels. I love you, my princess."

Ariatna had previously been at the 'Escuela Normal', a school for training teachers, at Torreón.

A statement and tribute from the institution's director Dr María Angélica Vela Zul said (translated): "With profound sadness the educational community at the Escuela Normal de Torreón mourns the regrettable death of our dear ex alumnus.

"We extend our most sincere condolences to the family. Her life was a blessing and her memory will be a refuge of love and strength."