A BODYBUILDER mum has suddenly died – tragically leaving behind her 11-year-old son.
Marianne von Gierke, 40, passed away on Wednesday just two weeks after competing in the female version of Mr Olympia.
The pro athlete, from Chile, finished 13th place in the prestigious bodybuilding championships.
Marianne worked as a fitness trainer – but turned pro in 2021.
Competing two weeks ago was her second time performing at the top Mr Olympia event – having come 16th in 2024.
She worked relentlessly on improving her on physique and encouraging others on their bodybuilding journeys across social media.
Over the summer she won the Women’s Physique crown at the Rising Phoenix World Championships.
The cause of her death has not yet been made public.
Just hours before her death she had posted a message congratulating a friend on her fitness transformation.
And just two days before her death, she posted a loving tribute to her boyfriend of ten years.
Marianne wrote: “He is with me 365 days a year, not only when things go well, but also through every difficult stage of a preparation.”
She praised her partner as “the one who lives with me through every process, my good days, my doubts, my frustrations and my goals.
“The one who holds from the shadows a fundamental part of all they see on stage.
“Thank you for believing in me, even when the road gets tough. To understand this passion, live it with me and vibrate with every challenge as if it were yours too.
“Bodybuilding is my passion, but sharing it with you makes the entire journey all the more meaningful.”
Boyfriend Garcia said he was “extremely proud” of Marianne and promised that she would “always have his support”.
He said: “I really take my hat off for you and you do not know how proud you make me feel with your achievements, many times I do not know how you do it to carry everything.”
Marianne’s bodybuilding federation said she “left an unforgettable mark on bodybuilding” as well as a “legacy in her category.”
