Lazar Ðukić’s memory was front and center throughout the competition.
The 2024 Belgrade Games wrapped last weekend, crowning winners Moritz Fiebig and Matilde Garnes after three days of competition.
Competitors from around the world took part in the event for a spot atop the podium, but that was not the primary reason many were there. Dubbed the “Lazar Ðukić Memorial Competition,” the Belgrade Games was a weekend of tears and sadness but also comradery and comfort as everyone came together to honor one of CrossFit’s most beloved competitors in his home country.
The first of six workouts was:
For time:
2500/2200-meter bike
150 double-unders
1250/1100-meter row
150 double-unders
600/500-meter skiing
It was a significant 15 minutes, as it was when spectators and fellow athletes had the chance to watch Luka Ðukić take the floor in his home country, something he had been planning to do alongside his brother.
The 2024 Belgrade Games Workouts
The first of six workouts was:
For time:
2500/2200-meter bike
150 double-unders
1250/1100-meter row
150 double-unders
600/500-meter skiing
The final workout, titled “Lazar’s WOD,” also known as “Jackie Pro,” from the 2022 CrossFit Games, was a nod to Ðukić’s performance that year in Madison. He won that event, making his way through a 1000-meter row, 50 thrusters, and 30 bar muscle-ups in 10 minutes.
The Competitors
Besides Luka Ðukić, other athletes that rounded out the leaderboard were Jacqueline Dahlstrom, Madeleine Persson, Camilla Salomonsson Hellman, Anestis Artemis, and Alex Kotoulas, one of Lazar’s closest friends.
Lazar Ðukić’s Legacy
The weekend was spent honoring Ðukić’s short life, not only through competition but with a wall of photos sent in by those who loved him, arranged into a mosaic portrait. It was a powerful and emotional installation that surprised competitors and fans.
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Conclude
