BANGKOK, Thailand – South African fitness coach Leroy Saunders has died after collapsing while competing in the BYD HYROX Bangkok 2026 event at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, with the 41-year-old losing consciousness during the competition on August 13 and later passing away in hospital despite emergency assistance and CPR from event staff. His family and team confirmed his death in a statement posted on his personal Instagram account on August 18, saying they were still trying to fully understand the circumstances surrounding his death and asking HYROX and other media outlets not to make statements until further information had been confirmed.

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The family statement described Saunders as someone who had lived his life without regret or hesitation and who had made a positive difference to hundreds, and possibly thousands, of people over the course of his career, while also thanking the fitness communities that had supported him and indicating that further details, including arrangements to celebrate his life, would be released when appropriate. Saunders owned IAOT CrossFit in Bangkok and worked as a fitness and CrossFit coach in Thailand, particularly known for his strength and conditioning work with combat athletes, and also founded Fight by Design, a physical training programme for Muay Thai fighters, mixed martial arts competitors, and boxers.

For the many foreign residents involved in Bangkok’s CrossFit, martial arts, and endurance-sport communities, Saunders was a prominent figure in an international fitness scene that draws coaches and athletes from overseas. HYROX, an indoor fitness race combining running with functional exercise stations, features a standard format involving eight one-kilometre runs each followed by a workout challenge, testing endurance, strength, and conditioning, with the BYD HYROX Bangkok 2026 competition running from August 13 to 16 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

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The fitness community has expressed shock and grief over the loss of a respected coach, with tributes pouring in from athletes and colleagues who remembered Saunders for his dedication, passion, and lasting impact on the sport.

-Thailand News (TN)