Newlywed Bodybuilder, 33, Dies After Collapsing Mid-Routine at National Finals Just a Day Before His Birthday
Mateusz Chmura, a 33-year-old bodybuilder who married just two months ago, died after collapsing during a national competition, one day before his 34th birthday.
The athlete from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was competing in the Classic Bodybuilding Medium category at the Physical Culture Association (PCA) British Finals at Telford International Centre on Sunday, 18 October, when he collapsed on stage.
He received emergency treatment from paramedics, local ambulance staff and the Midlands Air Ambulance crew before being taken to hospital. However, he could not be saved. His cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
In a statement announcing his death, the PCA said: 'Our deepest condolences go to his wife, family, friends and everyone who knew and loved him.'
The organisers temporarily stopped the competition while Chmura received medical attention. The event resumed after a meeting with the remaining athletes, before news of his death was known.
Chmura had competed in his first bodybuilding show just two weeks earlier, finishing second at the PCA First Timers event in Yorkshire on 4 October.
His wife, Patrycja Chmura, subsequently issued a warning about an unauthorised online fundraiser claiming to collect money for the family.
'I want to make it absolutely clear that I have nothing to do with this fundraiser,' she wrote in a statement shared through her late husband's Instagram account, adding that she had neither created the campaign nor authorised anyone to collect donations on the family's behalf.
'Please, I am begging you, do not donate any money to this fundraiser,' she added. Patrycja also thanked supporters for their messages, saying she was going through 'something incredibly painful' and did not have the strength to respond to everyone individually.
What Are the Health Risks of Competitive Bodybuilding?
Although resistance training can improve muscle strength and overall physical health, competitive bodybuilding involves additional demands, particularly during preparation for an event.
A 2025 study published in the European Heart Journal examined mortality among 20,286 male athletes who competed in International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) events between 2005 and 2020.
Researchers identified 121 deaths, including 73 classified as sudden deaths. Of those, 46 were attributed to sudden cardiac death. Eleven sudden cardiac deaths occurred among athletes who were still actively competing.
The researchers estimated an incidence of 32.83 sudden cardiac deaths per 100,000 athlete-years among currently competing bodybuilders. Professional competitors also had a higher risk of sudden cardiac death than amateur athletes in the study.
These findings suggest a potential cardiovascular risk among male athletes competing in IFBB bodybuilding events, although they do not establish what caused Chmura's collapse.
Competition preparation can involve severe calorie restriction, rapid weight loss, and attempts to reduce water retention. Depending on their extent, such practices may contribute to dehydration and electrolyte disturbances, potentially affecting heart function.
However, there is no confirmed evidence that Chmura experienced dehydration, used performance-enhancing drugs, or had an underlying heart condition.
What Warning Signs Should Athletes Know?
Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart abruptly stops pumping blood effectively. It can result from several conditions, including abnormalities in the heart's structure, inherited electrical disorders, and cardiomyopathies, which affect the heart muscle.
Potential warning signs of cardiovascular problems include chest pain, unexplained breathlessness, palpitations, dizziness, and fainting, particularly during physical activity. These symptoms can have other causes, but they warrant medical assessment when they are new, unexplained, or occur during exercise.
Anyone who collapses and becomes unresponsive or is not breathing normally needs immediate emergency assistance. Bystanders should call emergency services, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) if one is available.
Pre-participation medical assessments may identify some conditions associated with sudden cardiac death, although no screening approach can detect every potential cause.
For competitive bodybuilding, medical supervision during competition preparation can help reduce avoidable risks associated with extreme dieting, rapid weight loss, and fluid manipulation.
Chmura's death remains unexplained, and his case does not establish that bodybuilding caused his collapse. However, it highlights why an athlete's muscular appearance or apparent fitness should not be mistaken for proof of cardiovascular health.