Serbian athlete dies while swimming in CrossFit Games in Texas

[sl8]

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2024-08-08/crossfit-games-death-lazar-dukic

Serbian athlete dies while swimming in CrossFit Games in Texas

By Chuck Schilken
Staff Writer
Aug. 8, 2024 2:49 PM PT

An athlete died Thursday while swimming in a lake on the first day of competition at the CrossFit Games in Fort Worth, Texas, organizers of the international event said.

The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office identified a body recovered from Marine Creek Lake as Lazar Dukic, 28, of Serbia. No cause of death was given.

“CrossFit is deeply saddened by the death of a CrossFit Games competitor during the swimming portion of Individual Event 1 at the 2024 CrossFit Games,” the organization said in a statement. “We are fully cooperating with authorities and doing everything we can to support the family at this time. The remainder of today’s events have been suspended. The well-being of competitors is our first priority and we are heartbroken by this tragic event.”

A Fort Worth Fire Department official said during a news conference that the department was asked to assist police at around 8 a.m. because there was “a participant in the water that was down and hadn’t been seen in some point in time.” The official said it took the department’s dive team about an hour to find the body.

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[elleng]

1. ;-(

[Demovictory9]

2. Terrible..they should have had lifeguards nearby

[highplainsdem]

3. There's video on Twitter from the broadcast showing he was near shore, just behind a few other people

who got out of the water to run to the finish line. You can see that he's struggling, but no one seems to notice, and then he disappears. There were people on shore looking toward him, people out on the water watching the swimmers.

One of the threads I saw on this was from a former lifeguard outraged that no one noticed that swimmer in trouble, and that there were no safety boats in sight, no lifeguards - and the swimming portion of the race was done after an exhausting run, not before the run as in triathlons. (This was apparently 3.5 mile run in very hot weather followed by an 800 meter swim - about half a mile.)

I've bookmarked that thread with the video but am not sure whether to post it, because it's so upsetting to watch, knowing that he did drown. The former lifeguard who posted that thread said he thought there should be lawsuits and jail time for those responsible.

[MagickMuffin]

4. Marine Creek Lake is located with the TCC on one side of the lake

Tarrant County College is on the east side of the lake. To the south is an area for ski jumpers, although I’ve never seen anyone ever use it. The west side of the lake has a boat ramp and a dirt parking lot. Not a lot of trees to rest under.

I read down thread where they were required to do the running portion first. Before I read that I was wondering if the race was first and if so that is probably what caused Lazar Dukic to lose his life. So, tragic!

It is extremely hot here in Fort Worth even early in the morning. I do not get out in it for long periods of time.

May Lazar Dukic be guided back into the light.

🕯️🌹❤️