Mateusz Chmura, a 33-year-old amateur bodybuilder from Wakefield, England, died Sunday after collapsing onstage during a bodybuilding competition in Telford, event organizers said.
Chmura was competing in the classic bodybuilding medium division at the Physical Culture Association (PCA ) British finals when he suffered a medical emergency and was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
The competition was suspended during the ordeal.
Organizers met with athletes after Chmura was transported to hospital, and the decision to restart the event followed that meeting.
The competition resumed before organizers knew Chmura had died. PCA did not disclose a cause of death.
PCA has extended condolences to Chmura’s wife, relatives and friends and requested privacy for those grieving. The organization also thanked medical personnel, volunteers, competitors and venue employees for their assistance.
Medical professionals who were watching the competition came forward to help. The organization acknowledged their efforts alongside those of emergency responders and hospital staff.
Chmura had married less than two months earlier, according to bodybuilder Reza Eradi Bahrani, who commented on PCA’s post. Bahrani also wrote that the day was Chmura’s birthday.
The two had practiced posing together at a gym less than 48 hours before the comment was written. He described struggling to comprehend the death of someone he had just trained and spoken with.
“Life can be so cruel and unfair. I’m struggling to process how someone I was just talking to and training with is suddenly gone,” he wrote.
The post has drawn in over 6,000 likes and hundreds of comments. PCA asked commenters to remain respectful and avoid speculation. The organization warned that it would remove inappropriate comments.
Those distressed by the incident can contact the organization’s team at [email protected].
Female Bodybuilder Dies
Chmura’s death follows news that Chilean professional bodybuilder Marianne von Gierke has died at 40, NPC Worldwide Chile revealed last week.
Von Gierke finished 13th just two weeks prior in women’s physique at the 2026 Mr. Olympia contest. NPC Worldwide Chile announced her death Oct. 15 without specifying when or where she died or identifying a cause.
Eight-time Mr. Olympia winner Lee Haney has previously raised concerns about competitive bodybuilding’s emphasis on extreme conditioning.
