He felt unwell on stage at the bodybuilding final: 33-year-old Mateusz Chmura dies

A serious health problem has claimed the life of Mateusz Chmura, a 33-year-old Polish amateur bodybuilding enthusiast living in England. He collapsed suddenly on Sunday, October 18, during the PCA (Physical Culture Association) national finals at the Telford International Centre, in a moment that should have culminated months of intense training.

Despite the immediate intervention of emergency services at the scene, supported by medical personnel among the spectators, and subsequent transportation to the hospital by ambulance and emergency helicopter, there was nothing that could be done for the athlete: he died a few hours later.

The race initially resumed, as news of his death had not yet been made public. The following day, the federation officially confirmed the event in a condolence statement, asking everyone to avoid speculation and respect the family's privacy. Friends and acquaintances later recalled that Chmura had only recently married and had just celebrated his birthday.

This serious loss brings back the spotlight on safety in the world of bodybuilding, a sector where several premature deaths have recently been recorded internationally. Although there is no official centralized registry, various scientific studies, including those conducted by the University of Padova and published in the European Heart Journal, have highlighted over the years the potential risks associated with cardiac problems in this discipline. These are often associated with hypertrophy of the heart and extreme stress on the body, although in the case of bodybuilder Chmura, the official cause of death has not yet been announced.