Xavier Dolino Memorial page

This page is dedicated to Xavier Dolino, who passed away with Leukaemia at the age of 37. He was a Senior Fitness4x4 Trainer and an inspirational Health Pioneer.  This page has been set up to honour Xavier in a unique way.

In the last three years, Xavier was hit with Leukemia three times, and three times told he would probably not survive. With massive personal resolve and commitment to fighting the illness with fitness & good nutrition, rather than with drugs, he defied the odds and recovered to full health twice. Not merely surviving the illness, but returning to world-class competition and to a truly inspiring and contagious level of fitness and vitality. The third time it struck his body was not able to withstand it.

However, in his last days in the hospital, he continued to motivate and teach those around him. That was Xavier. He kept lifting his dumbbells and training in the best way he knew, no matter what life threw at him. And to his dying day, he continued to create energy, in defiance of what the disease was trying to do to him. It is this spirit and this commitment to physical vitality that we want to honour on this page.

A short video clip has been put together by Fitness4x4. It features photos & video of Xavier from our recent archive and has been put together over the song ‘Monagri’, which was a favourite song of Xavier’s, written by his friend and fitness colleague Rajko Radovic.

If you knew Xavier the video will remind you of his passion for life, for fitness, for teaching, for his friends and for having a positive impact on the health of everyone he encountered. If you didn’t know Xavier, hopefully, you will still get a sense of the very same thing.

His mentor and friend Dragan Radovic has invited everyone who knew Xavier (or would simply like to honour him) to perform 100 continuous lifts of any dumbbell. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing – take 5 minutes from your schedule to do these 100 lifts. To take a minute’s silence to remember the man…then take 5 minutes of physical action to honour what the man stood for. It is absolutely what he would have wanted.

If you would like to be part of this commemoration or share your story of Xavier, please send us your own personal comment and we will add it to this page.

87 responses to “Xavier Dolino Memorial page”

  1. Laurent Ledoze avatar
    Laurent Ledoze

    Here is my testimony with my heart’s brother Xavier Dolino who left too early in 2011.

    We met in 1986 when we were 13 years old.

    It was in the center of France at famous a judo club where we were beginners.

    We have been training together for more than 10 years, have competed a lot and have won trophies in the Rhône Alpes – Auvergne region.

    When we were students, we lived together in the same room for 2 years and did a lot of outings, sports and recreation together.

    At that time, we were 20 years old and had many dreams.

    Xavier had a fascination with sports, dietetics and Anglo-Saxon culture.

    We also wanted to find a Japanese master of arms to perfect our martial art.

    Xavier is the most honest, rigorous and healthy person I have ever known.

    He was a pacifist and always wanted to push his limits.

    Our judo teacher died at the age of 47 on the tatami at the end of a training session.

    And Xavier also left too early when he was exemplary in terms of his lifestyle.

    I last saw him in 2001 when he came to see me when I lived in Switzerland.

    Then we got a little lost of sight and stayed in touch by phone and he told me he was having a great new adventure at a fitness club in Ireland.

    Then I traveled to many countries and never heard from Xavier again.

    In 2022, I decided to reconnect with Xavier and discover on the internet that he died.

    My friend, my brother, I couldn’t say goodbye to you and part of me left with you.

    You will always remain in my heart and you continue to live through all those who have loved you.

    Yasuraka ni nemuru (rest in peace) !

  2. Rene avatar
    Rene

    February 14 2019
    Another year has gone by… We still think about you daily Xavier and when we lack motivation, we hear your little voice in the back of our head 🙂 Still an inspiration to so many of us. Love always from both of us xoxo Rene and M xoxo

  3. Scott Hutton avatar
    Scott Hutton

    I left a comment 7 years ago when we all lost a good friend, coach, mentor, all round good guy. I have just today started H.O.P. training again. Watched Rajko on the DVD but saw X doing every lift.

    Hope you’re still powering up there, buddy!

    Scott, Dubai

  4. Maryse and Rene avatar
    Maryse and Rene

    6 1/2 years later and still a daily inspiration to so many of us. Still miss you our Dear Friend Xavier!!! Thank you for your amazing contribution to the fitness world. Most of all, we thank you for your contribution to our well being.

    Love always, Maryse and Rene

  5. Simon Lunn avatar
    Simon Lunn

    You continue to inspire me Xavier. RIP my friend 💪

  6. Claire Withe avatar
    Claire Withe

    I never knew Xavier Dolino but after reading this post and learning his story, I will make sure I perform 100 continuous reps of the Dragon Challenge and 5 minutes of physical exercise on Sunday in memory of him. Best wishes to all. Claire.(HOP Holmes Chapel) x

  7. Dragan avatar
    Dragan

    Thank you all for remembering and honoring our most devoted enthusiast whose presence and a friendly smile I will remember as long as I live. I saw him a day before he died. Only few days earlier while visiting him in the hospital although in great physical pain he was telling me how he was converting a doctor (who just flew from Finland to examine him) to Fitness training. Like the previous time I did my midnight training session with Xavier spirit hovering above. Xavier should be an unbreakable link for all of tho walk the Hour of Power path not just for being well and looking good but something beyond that. Did you know that Xavier and Gordon had a little personal training club in Ireland named ‘Beyond Fitness’? PS: Special congrats to Darren for his great action as well as a comment devoted to our ever present friend Xavier.

  8. Aileen avatar
    Aileen

    Ah very sad. He was a great instructor and I loved his classes. RIP Xavier.

  9. Matilda avatar
    Matilda

    Xavier will always be missed because he was such an inspirational guy. It was a pleasure knowing him and working with him.

  10. Pat avatar
    Pat

    Still thinking about you Xavier and still missing you.