CrossFit Games 2024: Serbian athlete Lazar Dukic drowns during competition in Texas; CEO Don Faul said he is ‘gutted’ by death

A Serbian athlete drowned throughout a swimming occasion at a CrossFit competitors in Texas on Thursday, the group mentioned.

The demise occurred on the primary day of the CrossFit Video games, being held in Fort Price by way of Sunday. The occasions have been canceled for the remainder of the day, CrossFit mentioned.

The athlete was later recognized as Lazar Dukic by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner.

CrossFit CEO Don Faul mentioned throughout a press briefing he’s “gutted” by the demise.

“We’ll proceed to be targeted on our group and the household by way of this tragic set of circumstances,” Faul mentioned.

The incident occurred Thursday morning in Marine Creek Lake. The Fort Price Fireplace Division responded round 8 a.m. native time to a name concerning a CrossFit Video games participant who went lacking within the water, authorities mentioned.

First responders used dive groups and a drone to seek out Dukic, who was recovered from the water about an hour after the dive group response, authorities mentioned.

The physique of the athlete has been transferred to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner, police mentioned.

“There’s lots of people locally which are hurting proper now, which are actually unhappy, that knew the athlete effectively, that liked, revered this particular person,” Faul mentioned. “Lots of people are in mourning.”

Faul mentioned CrossFit is cooperating with authorities within the investigation.

The swimming portion of the occasion was being livestreamed on a number of platforms earlier than abruptly stopping Thursday morning, in keeping with Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA. Livestreams of the occasion are not accessible on CrossFit Video games’ platforms.

Security personnel have been on website throughout the occasion, Faul mentioned.

Thirty groups from around the globe are competing within the CrossFit Video games, which is being held in Texas for the primary time in its 18-year historical past.

CrossFit will likely be “regrouping” later Thursday to debate the plan for the rest of the video games, Faul mentioned.

It is a creating story. Please examine again for updates.