Tragedy as top Spanish bodybuilder collapses and dies aged 37 - days before she was due to compete in Ms Olympia contest

Daily Mail​

28-07-2025

A Spanish female bodybuilder has died aged just 37 after suffering a suspected heart attack.
Lorena Blanco, who was preparing to take part in Ms Olympia in Las Vegas in October, was taken to hospital after collapsing at her home in Lugo in Spain 's north-west Galicia region on Saturday morning.
She was rushed to a nearby hospital but pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Lorena, who worked out at a sports club in her native city called the Club Fluvial de Lugo, was trained by her husband Isi Bolanos who is also well-known in the bodybuilding world.
She completed in a total of seven shows during the 2024 bodybuilding season after turning pro a year earlier, competing around the world with a best finish last year at the Tahoe Pro where she came fourth.
That placing earned Lorena, a Spanish champion in several fitness categories, her qualification to the Ms. Olympia which is regarded the pinnace of female bodybuilding like the Mr Olympia competition for men.
She had competed a little over a week ago at the Gomeisa Ultimate Battle Pro in Medellin in Colombia, another event run by the IFBB Professional League which is the governing body for professional bikini and other bodybuilding competitions, where she ranked 12th overall.
Her funeral was held yesterday in private with only close friends and family believed to have been in attendance.
Canary Islands bodybuilding group Pioneers del Culturismo Canario Español said in a social media tribute: 'We send our most sincere condolences to the friends and family of Lorena Blanco. Rest in peace.'
Another strength training organisation wrote online: 'The fitness world mourns a legend. RIP IFBB Pro Lorena Blanco, 1988-2025.'
Her death at just 37 also led to comments about the type of training methods she was subjecting herself to.
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.'
In June a professional female bodybuilder was beaten to death with a hammer at her rented Costa del Sol home before her muscleman husband killed himself using a knife.
Colombian bodybuilding champion Zunilda Hoyos Mendez, also described locally as an Onlyfans model, was found dead on June 19 after detectives went to the property on an upmarket residential estate in the popular resort of Fuengirola.
The body of her partner, 46-year-old Jarrod Gelling, was found in a bathroom with what police described in an initial statement as 'apparent self-inflicted stab wounds.'
Zunilda, who called herself Amy although she also known online as Colombian She-Hulk, had been missing for several days after flying to the Costa del Sol from Dubai where the couple spent much of their time following a competition.
The dead woman's relatives described Jarrod after news emerged of her death as 'aggressive' and said they believe he could have lashed out after she told him she wanted a divorce.
Spanish news website El Espanol reported at the time that as well as being a big name in the professional bodybuilding world, Zunilda also had more than 100,000 followers on Onlyfans and Fansly where it said she sold steamy videos as 'the naughtiest fitness girl.'
She finished second in the NPC Worldwide Latin American Championships in 2021.
Her coach Branden Rey said in an emotional Instagram post beside a photo of her flexing her muscles in a black bikini: 'We had 17 days until we were going to hit the stage and shock the world my friend.
'I told you that you could possibly be top 10 in the world by the end of this year and I meant it.
'Rest in paradise Amy.'
In a second post he added: 'We were so close to the end but the closest person to you ended it too soon.
'Domestic violence should never be taken lightly, because it can leave many with a heavy heart.'
In November last year a male bodybuilder died aged just 28 after suffering a heart attack during a punishing training session.
Jose Mateus Correia Silva was working out with friends at a gym in Aguas Claras near the Brazilian capital Brasilia when he fell ill.
He was rushed to a nearby fire station by a firefighter pal he was with but efforts to revive him lasting more than an hour proved unsuccessful.
Jose's heartbroken brother Tiago paid tribute to him in an emotional social media post, writing alongside a photo of the tragic athlete: 'You were incredible. Thank you for so much. I love you.'
Insisting his sibling was 'in good shape' and didn't have any health problems he was aware of in an interview with local media, he added: 'Heaven has gained an angel. Jose was a much-loved man.'
The dead man had competed, finishing ninth in the Men's Physique Class up to 179cm in the 2018 South American Championships after an eleventh placing a year earlier in the Men's Bodybuilding Class up to 100kg in the Arnold Classic South America.
Although he wasn't competing when he died, Jose kept himself busy between training sessions preparing other bodybuilders for competitions and was the owner of an online supplements store.
He had also qualified as a lawyer and completed a nutrition course.
In September last year a teenage bodybuilder with a 'brilliant future' ahead of him was found dead at his home in Brazil.
Matheus Pavlak, 19, had transformed his body in just five years after taking up the gruelling sport to overcome his obesity.
The police officer's son was a regular competitor in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina where he lived and last year won an U23 contest to become Mr Blumenau in his home city of the same name.
In May last year he finished fourth and sixth in other regional competitions.
He was found dead on September 1 at his home after suffering a reported heart attack.
In May last year a Majorcan bodybuilder who survived cancer and life-threatening peritonitis died aged 50.
Xisco Serra's premature death was attributed locally at the time to natural causes after he suffered stomach problems.
The sports science graduate, who started lifting weights as a 16-year-old, began competing three decades ago and went on take part in around 90 contests.
His most notable wins on the international stage included Mr World IBFA in Rome in 2011 and Mr Universe IBFA in the 40-plus category in 2014, the same year he was voted overall Musclebeach Champion after competing in Venice, California.