After a two year battle with cancer, Rob Orlando has passed away at the age of 50. Orlando, who competed at the CrossFit Games four times, was diagnosed in January 2025 with stage 4 cancer in his lower jaw and lymph nodes in his neck.
Known as the “Strongman of CrossFit”, Orlando founded Hybrid Athletics. He also designed the “Pig”, which famously debuted at the 2013 CrossFit Games.
This evening, however, it was shared on his Instagram account that he had passed away.
Orlando is the third known individual male CrossFit Games veteran (non-Masters) to pass away. Chad Wilkinson qualified for the 2009 CrossFit Games, but did not compete. And in 2024, Lazar Djukic died during Event 1 of the CrossFit Games.
