Friends gathered just days after the tragedy.
Last updated on August 11th, 2024
On the morning of Sunday, August 11, around 50 people met at Marine Creek Lake to honor and pay tribute to Serbian Games athlete Lazar Ðukić, who passed away during the opening event of the 2024 CrossFit Games.
In an Instagram post, Brian Friend, CrossFit analyst and co-founder of B.Friendly Fitness, who was a close friend to both Lazar and the whole Ðukić family, expressed his condolences and invited anyone who wanted to show their respects to the Ðukić family.
- At the request of CrossFit athletes and others in Europe, B.Friendly streamed the event for those who wanted to join remotely.
The service began with a memorial video edited by content creator Maximilian Kelm, followed by three minutes of silence.
The group gathered around a small memorial left by others in the CrossFit community on Saturday, consisting of a framed photo and flowers.
Friend kept his words brief but shared, “[Lazar] was always very grateful for the opportunities the sport has given him, to see the world, create amazing relationships with amazing people, impact his family, and this is the legacy we will carry on.”
- “We will do our best to honor you as we continue on in our lives,” he concluded.
Friend then read a statement from the Belgrade Games in Ðukić’s home country:
- “We can only tell you that Serbia is grieving and suffering because a young life was extinguished far too early,” the statement read. “Everybody here was close to Lazar; he was simply an approachable and sociable person.”
The ceremony continued with the playing of the Serbian national anthem.
Joseph Somakianone of Ðukić’s closest friends and a CrossFit video creator, shared some memories, recalling the time he met Lazar after his first CrossFit Games event win.
- “For me, it really didn’t matter how good or how bad he was on the floor. What mattered was how good of a person he was to me,” he recalled. “He owed me nothing, yet he treated me like family. We will always miss you.”
After another minute of silence, Lucy Schott, a CrossFit coach, athlete, and judge, entered the water for a traditional Australian memorial in the surfing community, swimming out and placing a flower bouquet gently on the water’s surface.
Jared Graybeal, athlete manager and owner of E3 Sports Management, stepped forward to offer a prayer and thoughts about Ðukić.
The group then slowly, at each individual’s own pace, began to break up.
- “It was a very thoughtful gesture and created meaningful space for athletes, coaches, families, and others to be together and find some sense of closure and peace at a place of trauma,” added Morning Chalk Up Managing Editor Joe Genetin-Pilawa, who attended the memorial to share his personal condolences.
Mike Halpin, the creator behind Known & Knowable, who also attended to honor Ðukić and support the community, shared:
- “I truly appreciate Brian Friend and Chad Mueller for creating this opportunity to let us pause and stand together, in person at the lake and online, in remembrance of Lazar Ðukić.”
Community members wishing to donate to the Lazar Ðukić support fund can do so here.
