A BODYBUILDER has died after suffering a medical emergency hours after working out and sharing photos of his final preparations for an upcoming competition.
Mailson Araujo Santos, 35, died on Monday after collapsing at home in the city of Alagoinhas, Brazil.
The professional bodybuilder had been preparing to compete on Wednesday at Musclecontest Brazil 2026, a major qualifying event for the international Mr Olympia competition.
The gym-fanatic posted pictures showing his workout and a physiotherapy session as part of his final preparations.
But only hours later he began to feel unwell at home.
He managed to call his parents for help and his mum began CPR.
Firefighters from the station opposite the family home also arrived to continue resuscitation attempts.
Mailson collapsed again on the street near the fire station as he sought further medical assistance.
Despite the desperate efforts to save his life, Mailson could not be revived and died at the scene.
Mailson was a well-known figure in Brazil’s bodybuilding community, particularly in his home state of Bahia in the country’s northeast.
The bodybuilder regularly shared details of his training regime, diet and competition results on social media, and had built a following of 32,000 people.
His tragic death was met with a flood of tributes, with many followers paying their respects on social media.
One follower wrote: “You will be greatly missed! Because good people like you will be sorely missed in this world! Rest in peace, brother! May God comfort your family!”.
Another said: “Go with God, my brother. I still can’t believe it. We talked so much on Saturday, you were happy and confident for the next championship. Rest in peace.”
Mailson earned his professional card in 2023 when he won the overall amateur division at the Arnold Classic South America competition in São Paulo.
The rising star later achieved several podium finishes in professional competitions.
He had been pursuing his dream to win his first professional title.
Mailson was also a talented gospel singer and regularly performed at a local evangelical church in Alagoinhas.
Family and friends said their final goodbyes to Mailson at his funeral at the Lar Sao Francisco in Alagoinhas, before he was laid to rest at the Jardim Paraiso da Saudade Cemetery.
