Who was Lazar Dukic? Serbian athlete's tragic death at CrossFit Games in Texas sparks huge uproar
Lazar Dukic, who was from Serbia, went missing in Marine Creek Lake in Texas. The athlete's body was discovered from the water after an hour search.
The 2024 CrossFit Games was overshadowed following the shocking demise of Lazar Dukic on August 8, Thursday. The athlete was competing in the event that included a 3.5-mile run and an 800-meter swim.
Dukic, who was from Serbia, went missing in Marine Creek Lake in Texas. Later, his body was discovered from the water. While his identity was confirmed by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office, there is no confirmation about the cause of his death.
Dukic failed to cross the finish line and was visible struggling in the water in footage from a live stream of the event that was posted on social media.
What is the CrossFit Games?
Every year, the CrossFit Games are held to determine who is the “Fittest on Earth.” International athletes participate in a variety of high-intensity exercises that assess their general fitness, power, stamina, and flexibility.
Attracting both top athletes and fitness enthusiasts, the CrossFit Games have grown to be a significant event in the fitness industry.
How was Lazar Dukic's body recovered?
When Dukic disappeared in the water in Marine Creek Lake, which is situated in northwest Fort Worth, his team promptly notified the organisers of the CrossFit Games.
The Fort Worth Fire Department arrived in response to a drowning complaint, and found the body after an hour of search. Following this, the CrossFit Games announced his death during the competition, but they did not provide ant further information.
“CrossFit is deeply saddened by the death of one of our athletes in the swim portion of our event this morning,” Don Faul, the CEO of CrossFit, said in a statement,
“We are collaborating, we are working very closely with the authorities with the follow-up investigation.”
The organisers of the game cancelled the remainder of the day's activities and they are yet to confirm if the competition, which is scheduled to run until August 11, will resume.
Who was Lazar Dukic and what were his achievements?
The 28-year-old Serbian athlete gained international recognition for his ability to participate at the top level in these extreme “Fitness” tournaments.
Dukic had qualified for the CrossFit Games every year since 2021. He earned ninth spot in the 2021 season, eighth in 2022, and again ninth in 2023. He qualified for the Fitness competition after becoming Serbia's national champion in 2019. He, however, turned down the opportunity to participate and opted to make his debut two years later.
Prior to joining CrossFit, he played water polo and won six national championships for Serbia.
He became knowledgeable about this new discipline with help of his roommate, who introduced it to him during a trip to the United States as student.
Lazar Dukic's death causes uproar on social media
For Dukic, securing a podium berth was always the primary objective. The veteran of the CrossFit Games, who was well-known for his unwavering work ethic, frequently offered training advice to his followers on Instagram, saying, “Train harder than you will compete.”
Responding to his demise, CrossFit competitor Bastin Fritz spoke about the “tough day” for the CrossFit community.
“May your brave spirit and passion for the sport live on forever in our hearts,” he wrote on Instagram in a tribute to Dukic. “May your legacy inspire all of us who practice CrossFit to move forward with determination and dedication, honoring your memory in every lift, every run, every competition.”
Meanwhile, X users reacted to his death after the video of his drowning surfaced on the social media platform.
“Stop making non-professional swimmers do open water swimming. It’s dangerous for professionals and it’s exponentially more dangerous for non-professionals. Swim in a pool or don’t swim at all,” one X user wrote.
Another user blasted the CrossFit Games for claiming that “the well-being of our competitors is our first priority.” “Interesting statement to put out after your staff did nothing while a competitor died. Well to be fair apparently they did stop a spectator from rendering aid,” the user wrote.
The third user commented, “It’s just devastating. I think this might be the end of CrossFit as a sport,” while the fourth one remarked, “This is disgusting & horrifying. The footage is damning. Huge wishes to those affected.”
“If Dukic was indeed drowned (and not suffered a cardiac arrest) the fault is 100% on the CrossFitGames organisers as they have failed to protect their athletes. The police should cancel the event for this year,” one more chimed in.
