A Brazilian bodybuilder has died after he collapsed while taking part in a competition.
Father-of-two Wanderson da Silva Moreira, 30, suffered a suspected heart attack on Saturday while competing in the annual Pantanal bodybuilding championship in the city of Campo Grande, western Brazil.
Eyewitnesses said he had just finished performing and was leaving the stage when he began to feel unwell and collapsed near the backstage area.
He was treated by an emergency team for over an hour, but was pronounced dead at the scene.
Wanderson had complained of feeling unwell earlier in the day but had insisted on competing, according to a friend who attended the competition with him.
The friend, who was not named, said that the athlete also had a history of high blood pressure.
Wanderson’s coach described him as ‘a man with a huge heart,’ and added in a statement: ‘All we can do is grieve this loss and pray ask God to comfort his family and all of us. You are, and always will be, part of our team and family.’
Wanderson leaves behind a wife and two children.
Just days before the competition, he had posted to social media promising his wife that he would bring the trophy home.
An investigation has been launched into his sudden death.
A spokesperson for the competition organisers expressed condolences but declined to comment further.
The Pantanal sporting event is one of the biggest bodybuilding competitions in western Brazil, and is a gateway to the Mr Olympia and Arnold Classic South America contests.
The tragedy comes just a week after a Brazilian bodybuilding champion died suddenly.
Guilherme Henrique, known as Gui Bull, was a prominent figure in the sports and fitness community of Maringa, a city in the state of Parana.
His death was confirmed last Monday but the cause behind it was not revealed.
Henrique, who held a PhD in Biochemistry, was celebrated for his achievements in the Classic Physique and Classic Bodybuilding categories, securing five overall champion titles during his career.
At the time of his passing, he was pursuing a degree in Nutrition at the University Center of Maringá.
The Parana Fisiculturismo federation expressed deep sorrow over his death, stating: ‘Gui Bull was not just an athlete; he was a human being with a giant heart, who radiated energy and inspired everyone with his determination and sportsmanship.’
‘In this moment of pain and longing, we raise our thoughts and prayers to God, asking that He receive him in His arms and envelop him in His eternal light.
‘May faith comfort the hearts of family and friends, bringing peace and serenity to face this difficult loss.’