HYROX Bangkok death: Leroy Saunders, South African fitness coach and CrossFit gym owner, dies after collapsing during gruelling race; family says 'we are still trying...'

Leroy Saunders, a 41-year-old South African-born fitness coach based in Bangkok, died after collapsing during the BYD HYROX Bangkok 2026 competition. The respected trainer was the owner of IAOT CrossFit and founder of Fight by Design, a strength and conditioning program for combat athletes.

The global fitness community is mourning the sudden death of Leroy Saunders, a South African-born fitness coach and gym owner who died after collapsing during a HYROX competition in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Leroy Saunders, 41, lost consciousness while competing at the BYD HYROX Bangkok 2026 event at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center on August 13. Event staff and medical personnel immediately rushed to his aid and began CPR and emergency resuscitation efforts.

He was subsequently transported to a hospital, where he later died. His family and social-media team confirmed his death on August 18.

The exact cause of death has not been revealed. Saunders' family has specifically asked the public, media and event organisers to avoid speculation while they try to understand what happened.

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What happened at the HYROX Bangkok event?

Leroy Saunders was competing at the Bangkok event on August 13 when he suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness. According to the Times of India report, medical personnel and event staff responded immediately, carrying out CPR and emergency resuscitation at the venue before Saunders was taken to a hospital. He later died.

His family has not disclosed a cause of death. In a statement shared on his official Instagram account, his team said, “Last Thursday, we unfortunately lost Leroy due to reasons we are still trying to fully understand,” while asking for privacy and patience as the family seeks answers.

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The family also remembered Leroy Saunders as someone who lived his life with determination and without regret. “Until the last second of this moment, Leroy lived his life without regret or hesitation,” the statement read.

Who was Leroy Saunders?

Leroy Saunders was a well-known figure in Bangkok's fitness and strength-and-conditioning community. Originally from South Africa, he built his career around fitness, functional training and physical performance after establishing himself in Bangkok.

He was the owner of IAOT CrossFit, a Bangkok gym listed in CrossFit's official affiliate directory. Through his work there, Saunders became known within Thailand's CrossFit and functional-fitness community.

But his work was not limited to conventional gym training. Leroy Saunders also had deep ties to the combat-sports world.

He founded Fight by Design, a specialised strength and conditioning system created to help fighters prepare for the physical demands of competition.

The program worked with athletes across Muay Thai, boxing and mixed martial arts, with a focus on strength, movement, durability and overall physical performance.

Saunders was also a HYROX athlete

The tragedy at HYROX Bangkok was particularly poignant because Leroy Saunders was not simply a coach watching from the sidelines. He had competed in HYROX before and was familiar with the demands of the event.

In 2025, Leroy Saunders competed in a HYROX doubles event alongside Annika Saunders. The pair completed the race in 1 hour, 17 minutes and 51 seconds. That previous experience made his sudden collapse during the Bangkok competition all the more shocking to the fitness community.

HYROX has become one of the fastest-growing endurance and functional-fitness competitions worldwide, attracting both professional athletes and recreational competitors.

They said he had positively influenced “hundreds, if not thousands” of people during his career.

Tributes pour in for Bangkok fitness coach

News of Leroy Saunders' death has prompted tributes from members of Bangkok's fitness and combat-sports communities, as well as athletes and trainers who knew his work.

His impact extended beyond the people who trained directly under him. Through IAOT CrossFit and Fight by Design, he worked with people pursuing different forms of athletic performance, from functional fitness to professional combat sports.

His family and team have thanked those who have sent messages and offered support following his death. They said the response reflected the positive influence Saunders had on people around him.

The family is expected to share further details about plans to celebrate his life.

His social-media team, IRONSPRT, will manage future posts on his official account in consultation with and with the approval of his closest family and friends.

HYROX Bangkok tragedy leaves fitness community shaken

The death of Leroy Saunders has cast a shadow over a sport built around endurance, competition and community.

For those who knew him, Saunders' legacy is likely to be remembered less for the final moments of his HYROX race and more for the years he spent helping other athletes prepare for theirs.

He was a coach, gym owner, strength-and-conditioning specialist and competitor who worked with everyone from fitness enthusiasts to combat athletes.

As his family continues to seek answers about the circumstances surrounding his death, they have asked people to respect their privacy and refrain from drawing conclusions before more information is available.

For now, tributes from the fitness world are remembering Saunders for the people he trained, the athletes he supported and the lasting impact he made in Bangkok's fitness and combat-sports community.