A tragic incident overshadowed the PCA British Finals in England. Polish bodybuilder Mateusz Chmura, 33, died after collapsing during the competition on Sunday, October 18, at the Telford International Centre.
Chmura was competing in the Classic Bodybuilding Medium category when he suddenly collapsed on stage in front of fellow competitors and spectators.
Medical teams rushed to his aid immediately, with local emergency services also joining the rescue effort. Chmura was taken to hospital by ambulance, but despite the doctors’ efforts, he died. The organisers confirmed his death the following day.
The competition was temporarily suspended while medical staff treated the athlete. After he had been taken to hospital, the organisers held a meeting with the competitors and decided to allow the event to continue. At that point, it was not yet known that the bodybuilder had died.
The Physical Culture Association (PCA) issued an official statement expressing its condolences to Chmura’s wife, family and friends. The organisers also thanked the medical teams and spectators who had helped in the attempts to save his life. They urged everyone to respect the privacy of the bereaved family.
Chmura lived in the English city of Wakefield. According to specialist website FrontDouble, he had made his competitive bodybuilding debut just two weeks earlier, finishing second at the PCA First Timers competition in Yorkshire.
Chmura would have celebrated his 34th birthday on October 19.
The exact cause of his death has not yet been disclosed.BGNES
