Top bodybuilder collapses and dies days before massive fitness competition

Daily Mirror

6 days ago

Lorena Blanco, 37, was preparing for the Ms Olympia condition in October when she was struck down by a suspected heart attack at her home in Lugo, in Spain's Galicia region
A female bodybuilder has collapsed and died after suffering a cardiac arrest before a big competition.
‌
Lorena Blanco was just 37 years old after being struck down just months ahead of taking part in Ms Olympia in Las Vegas in October. Lorena collapsed at home in Lugo in Galicia, Spain on Saturday morning before being rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead after arrival.
‌
Lorena, who was trained by her bodybuilding husband Isi Bolanos, trained at a gym in her native city of Club Fluvial de Lugo and had competed in seven shows during 2024 after turning pro a year earlier.
‌
Last year was her best finish at the Tahoe Pro where she came in fourth, which earned her qualification to Ms Olympia - which is regarded as the pinnacle of female bodybuilding in the way Mr Olympia is for men.
She had travelled all over the world for the sport, competing a few days prior at a competition in Colombia, where she ranked 12th.
‌
Close friends and family members gathered for a small private funeral yesterday. In a social media post, Canary Island bodybuilding group Pioneers del Culturismo Canario Español paid tribute to her. A post on their page reads: "We send our most sincere condolences to the friends and family of Lorena Blanco. Rest in peace."
Another organisation wrote: "The fitness world mourns a legend. RIP IFBB Pro Lorena Blanco, 1988-2025."
‌
Her death at just 37 has raised questions about how she had been training in the lead up to the competition.
Ail Andy wrote on Facebook: "These sudden heart attacks happen to a lot of high-performance athletes and almost none of them survive them. I think it has to do with the size of their hearts given the amount of exercise and their age."
Bodybuilders are also known to use large amounts of anabolic steroids, often under the direction of a coach, with some of the compounds known for putting high levels of stress on the hearts. While it's most common for men to use them, recent studies suggest a startling rise in the use of steroids - often male hormones - among female bodybuilders.
‌
Earlier this year, a Brazilian bodybuilder died during a competition after collapsing in front of a horrified audience. Wanderson Da Silva Moreira fell ill at an event in Campo Grande in April, reportedly suffering from a cardiac arrest.
The 30-year-old was competing in the Pantanal Contest, a pathway to Mr Olympia Brazil and the Arnold Classic South America. Wanderson is said to have collapsed while on stage, in front of judges and a live audience.
The athlete was treated for over an hour with a medical team performing 80 minutes of cardiac massage and six shocks, whilst also providing Wanderson with medication and intubating him, per reports in Brazil. He was pronounced dead soon afterwards.