Dear Reader...
Paul Poloczek, a 37-year-old Polish professional bodybuilder, died just hours after competing in a championship in Germany.
Before his tragic death, the Polish-born strongman had competed in the NPC Worldwide Championship.
Although no cause of death has been determined, Poloczek is the latest high-profile bodybuilder to pass away in recent months.
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In an Instagram tribute, his wife Kathrin DeNev said:
'Bodybuilding was your life. You are not forgotten, you live on in our hearts. 'We will love you forever.'
In a later post, she added:
'I will do everything to keep your dream alive. Love you.'
Poloczek was a football player before discovering bodybuilding as a teenager and eventually becoming the owner of the famous Powerhouse Gym franchise in Oehringen, Germany.
At the age of 17, he won his first Junior Championship bodybuilding competition, and in 2012, he finished second in the German Championships in the Super-Heavyweight division.
He went professional after winning the Arnold Classic amateur tournament in 2017.
Poloczek is survived by his wife and a young daughter.
His death comes just a month after that of fellow bodybuilder Stacey Cummings, who died unexpectedly at the age of 31.
The mother of two began bodybuilding in 2013, and in 2016 she was certified as an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness professional. She competed in the bikini division of the 2021 IFBB Texas Pro, and she and her husband, fellow bodybuilding professional Bryant Fought, co-owned Flex Fitness 24/7 gym in McKinney, Texas.