Death of CrossFit athlete Lazar Đukić ruled accidental drowning, medical examiner confirms
The death of a CrossFit athlete during a Fort Worth competition in August has been ruled an accidental drowning, according to online records from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Serbian athlete Lazar Đukić, 26, was competing in a run-swim event in Marine Creek Lake as part of the 2024 CrossFit Games when he disappeared in the lake near the end of the swimming portion.
Crews with the Fort Worth Fire Department pulled Đukić’s body from the water later that afternoon.
The remainder of the day’s events were canceled, but CrossFit’s founder Dave Castro decided to continue with the weekend of competition after he said he received the “blessing” of Đukić’s family, the Star-Telegram previously reported.
Đukić’s brother Luka refuted Castro’s claims in a lengthy Instagram post, stating that he told Castro he wasn’t thinking clearly and shouldn’t make the decision.
Castro later apologized, writing on Instagram, “This decision was made by CrossFit and I never intended to put the weight of this decision on Luka, the Đukić family or our CrossFit athletes. I’ve never been in a situation like this before and I absolutely made a mistake. I sincerely regret any pain I’ve caused.”
Luka, who competed in the event along with his older brother, described Lazar as his best friend, fellow competitor, training partner and idol. “On Thursday 8th of August, I lost all of it, in the most traumatic and tragic way possible. While we were chasing our dream,” Luka Đukić wrote.
The medical examiner’s office has not completed Đukić’s full autopsy report.
