Competitor Drowns During Day 1 Of CrossFit Games In Fort Worth, Texas

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Incredibly tragic news out of Forth Worth, Texas, as a competitor in the CrossFit Games drowned during a swimming event on Day 1 of the competition. 

CrossFit Games released a statement around 12:30 E.T. confirming the sad news. 

Reports began to emerge that something had gone seriously wrong during the event on Thursday morning. 

According to CBS, a "CBS News Texas chopper was over the reservoir, which showed first responders pulling a body out of the water and putting it in a bodybag." 

WFAA, an ABC affiliate in the area, reported that "The Fort Worth Fire Department responded to a drowning call around 8 a.m. Thursday to the Tarrant County College Northwest campus, near Marine Creek Lake, according to an incident report." 

Lazar Dukic, a Serbian athlete, reportedly drowned during a swimming event on Day 1 of the CrossFit Games in Forth Worth, Texas.

A competitor drowned during a swimming event on Day 1 of the CrossFit Games in Forth Worth, Texas. 

(Getty Images/Stock Photos)

The CrossFit Games YouTube channel had scheduled live streams of events throughout the day on Thursday, but none of them are currently active on the channel. CrossFit later announced that all events on Thursday were "suspended." 

One video appears to show a spectator of the event jumping in the water to try and save the drowning athlete, to no avail. 

There are reports that the CrossFit Games had lifeguards in the water on paddle-boards but none of them saw the competitor go under the water. 

CrossFit CEO, Don Faul, also delivered a statement after the tragic events.

This is a developing story, but there are questions that the CrossFit Games are going to have to answer. According to the event schedule, competitors in this event had to run a 5K and then swim 800 meters. 

Many people are questioning the decision to have a swim after a run. In triathlon races, swimming is always the first event. 

There are also questions that will need answers with regard to safety personnel and how something like this could happen. 

OutKick will update this story as we gather more information. 

UPDATE: According to ESPN, "the Tarrant County medical examiner's office identified the athlete as 28-year-old Lazar Dukic of Serbia." 

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.