The annual meeting CrossFit’s most important event started in the worst possible way: the Serbian athlete Lazar Dukic He drowned Thursday while contesting the demanding open water swimming test of the CrossFit Games in a Texas lakein the United States. The 28-year-old athlete, ddisappeared in the water and rescue teams found his lifeless body several minutes later. His younger brother Luka, with whom he was very close, was also taking part in the competition. Despite the tragedy, the championship was not suspended and this Sunday will crown the winners of the 2024 edition.
Dukic entered the Marina Creek Lakenear the city of Fort Worthwith the rest of the participants in the race. In the last few meters, after more than 30 minutes of hard efforthad serious difficulties staying afloat, as It could be seen in the images of the live broadcast of the championship.
The Serbian team subsequently quickly informed the organization that They had lost track of him. A was activated emergency team and, after moments of confusionrecovered his lifeless body from the water. The broadcast was not interrupted and fitness fans saw the whole event, something that sparked criticism from viewers on social networks, where the videos circulate. videos of the events.
Shock in sport
“It’s the saddest day in the history of CrossFit“We are heartbroken by the loss of Lazar Dukic. He was one of the most talented competitors in our sport, but he was so much more than an athlete. He was a son, a brother, and a friend to virtually everyone who knew him,” CrossFit said in a statement.
The incident shocked the community of this sport and highlights the importance of establishing More stringent security measures at high-risk events. However, the organisation maintained the rest of the competition: “This weekend is dedicated to Dukic,” it argued.
The next day, on Friday, the news came to light Causes of death of Serbian athlete: died as a result of and cardiac arrest while swimming. Dukic was a outstanding competitor: She was ranked third in Serbia, ranked 33rd in Europe and 88th worldwide. It was also her fourth consecutive time competing in the CrossFit Games. She was aiming high for this edition, as won the semi-finals.
The Dukic brothers: Lazar on the left and Luka on the right / Instagram / @lazadjukic
His brother, inconsolable
His brother Luka also competed in the CrossFit Games. In his case, it was the second time he qualified, although he has been competing in the other events organized by the company that created the sport for years. Both They competed side by side and so? This was reflected in the league tables: they were only separated by a couple of positions.
“From the cradle to the grave, my soulmate, my brother“, wrote the victim on Instagram a few days before traveling to the United States. After the incident, Luka published a photograph of the two hugging on the same social network. He barely wrote anything, the image speaks for itself: it is without consolation.