A padel champion has died in a horror car crash aged 27.
Brayan Alexis Torres was a passenger in the Hyundai Tucson when the driver, who was allegedly drunk, lost control.
The woman behind the wheel, who has since been placed under arrest, smashed into a parked lorry on the roadside at high speed, according to reports.
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The impact was so severe that Brayan was trapped inside the wreckage, requiring local firefighters to use hydraulic equipment to extract his body after he was pronounced dead at the scene.
He had reportedly attended a padel-related event in the hours before the tragedy.
The fatal crash took place in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on Monday (27 Apr).
Police spokesperson Darwin Hernández said the vehicle was travelling at excessive speed when it slammed into the rear of the stationary lorry.
He confirmed that the driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, and was detained on suspicion of homicide with eventual intent.
Affectionately known as ‘Tato’, Brayan had won multiple padel tournaments across Mexico and was ranked number one in Panama.
The padel star, who originally came from the town of Naschel in Argentina, had recently relocated to Honduras in 2025 to lead a local academy at the Pro Padel Club.
He was quickly becoming a central figure in the country’s growing padel scene.
Tributes flooded in from former teammates and clubs, with the Aragonese Padel Federation expressing “profound sorrow” over the loss of a player known for his immense talent and “human quality” on and off the court.
He was also a talented footballer, but went on to choose padel as his professional sport, as reported by Need To Know.
His hometown club, Naschel Unidos in Argentina, shared a heartbreaking message stating that Torres had left an “indelible mark” on everyone who shared a court with him during his journey from football to professional padel.
The Honduran authorities are continuing their forensic investigation into the crash, while the player’s family is being supported by the Argentine consulate to coordinate the repatriation of his remains.
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