Jan. 12 (UPI) — Deon Lendore — a sprinter who competed in three Olympic Games and won a bronze medal a decade ago — has died after crashing his vehicle in Texas, where he was an assistant coach at Texas A&M University. He was 29.
Authorities said Lendore was driving on a road in College Station on Monday when his vehicle veered across the center divider and collided with two other vehicles. He died at the scene.
Lendore had been a volunteer assistant coach for the past two seasons at Texas A&M.
Authorities said that a 65-year-old woman injured in the crash was hospitalized with “incapacitating injuries.”
Representing his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago, Lendore qualified for the Summer Olympic Games in 2012, 2016 and 2020. He won a bronze medal in the 4x400m relay in the 2012 Games in London.
“This is very difficult to express, I can’t even express this loss,” Texas A&M head track & field coach Pat Henry said in a statement. “Over the years our relationship had changed to not only one of my athletes to coach, but he was loved by my wife, children and grandchildren.
“He was part of my family. It hurts, it really hurts. My thoughts are with his family and the efforts to get through this very difficult period of time.”
While at Texas A&M in 2014, Lendore won the Bowerman award, which is the highest individual award for NCAA track and field.
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