CrossFit athlete Lazar Dukic, 28, tragically passed away during an 800-meter swim event at the CrossFit Games held at Marine Creek Lake in Fort Worth today.
Dukic vanished under the water near the finish line, and despite immediate search efforts, his body was recovered roughly two hours later.
Lazar Dukic was competing in a live-streamed event when he disappeared. The CrossFit Games confirmed his death shortly after First Responders retrieved the body from the lake. The event's remaining schedule was suspended until further investigation.
Dukic, hailing from Serbia, was well-regarded in the CrossFit community, holding the third position in Serbia and ranking 88th worldwide.
His last Instagram post encouraged fans to tune in to the competition, making his passing even more poignant.
A significant response effort included seven firefighter units, and around 10,000 spectators witnessed the event.
"CrossFit games has a history of putting their athletes in compromised positions for the sake of sport and being crowned the fittest. Today, their negligence cost Lazar Dukic his life. Dave Castro needs to be held responsible for this. Completely avoidable and devastating!"
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Our deepest condolences go out to Dukic's family and friends during this difficult time.