During the swimming portion of a CrossFit competition, an athlete tragically drowned. There have been videos and terrifying facts released that provide insight into how this catastrophe occurred.
There have been widespread shockwaves following the death of a Serbian athlete. The deceased athlete was a competitor in the Crossfit Games on August 8 in Fort Worth, Texas, and drowned only inches from the competition finish line.
A news source claims that the competition’s first day’s events were canceled due to a fatality that occurred throughout the day. The swimmer’s identify as Lazar Dukic was established by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner.
Dukic drowned in Marine Creek Lake on Thursday morning, August 8. According to the authorities, the Fort Worth Fire Department responded to a distress call at 8 a.m. local time on behalf of a contestant who had vanished from sight (M.I.A.) in the water.
Subsequently, first responders attempted to find Dukic with the aid of diving teams and drone technology. They were able to remove his body from the water after about an hour. Dukic’s remains were then taken to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner.
The CEO of CrossFit, Don Faul, verified that there were safety personnel present throughout the swimming event and stated that the company is completely assisting the authorities with their inquiry. He also mentioned how “gutted” the situation has left him.
Speaking on the situation, Faul stated, “We’ll continue to be focused on our community and the family through this tragic set of circumstances. There’s a lot of people in the community that are hurting right now […] that knew the athlete well, that loved, respected this person. A lot of people are in mourning.”
A WFAA reporter spoke with a witness who was present on the day Dukic died, asking him questions about his perceptions and emotions.
Still reeling from the tragedy, the man shared, “When it first happened, my heart was racing probably for a couple of hours after. Uhm, absolutely devastated. Not sure what to think, almost in denial.”
In trying to process what transpired, the man said he had talked to family members and friends for a few hours. “It’s very tough. I think it’s going to take a while. Right now, I’ll have moments where I’m okay and then moments where I’ll just break down in tears, just in shock about what actually happened there,” the unnamed witness disclosed.
Even though the witness didn’t know Dukic well, he did emphasize that during a tournament, the two had stayed at the same hotel and had a brief conversation.
“The only thing I remember about him was just how nice he was. He didn’t know who I was but he took the time to talk to me,” mentioned the man.
He continued by describing the heartbreaking experience of seeing Dukic’s brother, who was also competing, sprint along the sidelines in an attempt to locate Dukic in the water.
The witness also revealed how he and a few others had attempted to save Dukic, who they estimated to be some 150 meters out in the ocean, from drowning. They yelled at the lifeguards, “He needs help!”
The witness further stated that at one point, another person had gone in to try to help Dukic, but a lifeguard had urged them to leave the water. This was in addition to them doing nothing.
The man said that the lifeguard ended up swimming over to where Dukic had gone under, but she simply paddled around the area and got back out of the water. “I feel like, at that point, she needed to blow a whistle and stop the event,” asserted the witness.
Numerous platforms had carried live streaming of the swimming competition. However, live streaming was reported to have stopped on Thursday morning by ABC station WFAA.
Although the event’s live feeds are no longer accessible on CrossFit Games’ platforms, two videos featuring brief clips from the catastrophe have been circulated by users on X. One is from a man named Adam Mahler, who claimed to have spent three years working as a lifeguard.
In his video, competitors could be seen swimming in the lake as they raced to the finish line, which was outside the water. Dukic, one of the sportsmen, is seen straining to keep swimming despite the opposition.
He was having trouble keeping it above the water, so his head was bobbing up and down. The athlete eventually submerges fully and does not surface again.
Expressing his anger and devastation in a message alongside the video, Mahler penned, “You have no idea how incensed I am watching this video where there is a clear active drowning victim. This should result in lawsuits and jail time for the people responsible. #CrossFit.”
Someone else on X shared a video that looked similar. The late swimmer, who was surrounded by two lifeguards on paddleboards, was seen fighting for his life in the water while this person’s camera captured a closer view of the moment Dukic drowned.
“Whilst everyone is watching Tia race for the finish. Including it appears the @CrossFitGames safety team. Lazar Dukic is left to drown with apparently spectators being turned away from attempting a rescue”.
Since the tragedy, CrossFit Games took to their X account to speak out about what happened and honor Dukic’s life with a dedication. “Today is the saddest day in @CrossFit history. We are shattered by the loss of Lazar Đukić along with the entire CrossFit community,” they began.
They continued by praising Dukic as one of the “most talented competitors” in the sport. Dukic was cherished by many as a brother, son, and friend in addition to being a brilliant athlete.
CrossFit labeled him as “fiercely competitive, incurably joyful, and uncommonly kind,” before dubbing him as “the sun of any room he was in.”
The group emphasized once more how unbelievable the loss is. But they also said they would carry on with the Games in Dukic’s memory, devoting this coming weekend’s activities in his honor.
Farewell, my beloved Dukic. We offer the renowned athlete’s loved ones our deepest sympathies and hope that they find comfort during this difficult time.