Dukic’s body was found about an hour after the first diver entered the water, Trojacek said. Police said Dukic was declared dead at the scene.
CrossFit chief executive Don Faul said at the news conference that safety personnel were on-site during the event and that CrossFit had a “fully planned and documented safety plan” in place. The details of that plan and the events that led to Dukic’s death “will be part of the information that’s to come as part of the investigation” by officials, Faul said, adding that the company is cooperating with authorities.
The rest of the day’s events were cancelled. CrossFit, Faul said, would “continue to be focused on supporting our community and the family through this tragic set of circumstances”.
Faul said Dukic’s death deeply affected those who do CrossFit, a high-intensity fitness programme that blends strength training, cardio and functional movements. The company has hosted the CrossFit Games for 18 years, attracting hundreds of thousands of participants annually. This year’s three-stage competition began in February and was set to conclude Thursday through Sunday.
“CrossFit is in some ways like a family,” Faul said. “People care a lot about each other, and there’s people in the community that are hurting right now, that are really sad, that knew the athlete well, that loved and respected this person. A lot of people are mourning.”
Dukic had participated in the CrossFit Games four years in a row and won the 2024 Europe Semifinal, according to his CrossFit bio. He was also the first individual athlete to win three consecutive semifinals and was ranked No 88 worldwide in the male category, No 33 in Europe and No 3 in Serbia.
He and his brother, Luka Dukic, were competing together this year.
“I know somebody is working all the time next to me,” Lazar Dukic said in a video shared to Instagram on Wednesday. “This pushes me hard, both mentally and physically. And I can’t let my brother beat me. So, yeah, it’s just a great push to have him.”
In the video, Dukic described his inspiration behind the competition as “Asking myself, constantly, ‘How bad do you want it?’ and telling myself, ‘Your competitors are working hard. You need to work hard.’ For me, the main thing is, train harder than you will compete.”
His goal this year, he added, was to “reach the podium and stay there for multiple years”.
Dukic’s longtime sponsors and partners launched a GoFundMe page to support the family of an athlete who they said was “known for his kindness, humour and supportive nature”.
“Beyond his athletic achievements, Lazar was caring, humorous and relentlessly supported those around him. His warm, supportive nature and quick wit left a lasting impression on everyone he met,” the GoFundMe says, adding that his “legacy of approaching life with kindness and humour will always be remembered”.
