Olympic sprinter Deon Lendore died at the age of 29 on Monday after being involved in a car crash in Texas.
Lendore was a volunteer assistant coach at Texas A&M and was driving home after practice. He was traveling westbound on FM 485 in Milam County in his Volkswagen Jetta, according to TMZ.
A Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman says Lendore’s car drifted over the center line and sideswiped a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. Lendore then crashed head-on into an Infiniti SUV and died at the scene.
The driver of the Infiniti was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, while the driver who was sideswiped was not harmed.
Lendore was born in Trinidad and competed for Trinidad and Tobago in international competition. He was part of their bronze medal-winning 4x400m sprint team at the 2012 Olympics.
Trinidad and Tobago 400m sprinter Deon Lendore killed in a car crash in Texas.
2012 Olympic bronze medalist (4x400m) and 2015 World championship silver medalist (4x400m) pic.twitter.com/tbn59pfhw7— Ato Boldon (@AtoBoldon) January 11, 2022
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Deon Lendore, who has been a part of the PUMA Family since 2017. We are honored that he had chosen us to be by his side for a large part of his successful track & field career.
Our thoughts are with his family.
Rest in peace, Deon. pic.twitter.com/GSSzoMwuTh
— PUMA (@PUMA) January 11, 2022
It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Deon Lendore. An inspiration and motivator to those around him, the impact he had not only on Aggie track & field, but across the world, will be greatly missed.
Here.
📰 https://t.co/eyIli0BGVY pic.twitter.com/dMn09LsfFh
— Texas A&M Track & Field/Cross Country (@aggietfxc) January 11, 2022
World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic and world 4x400m medallist Deon Lendore has died at the age of 29.
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) January 11, 2022
Words cannot adequately express our sadness at the devastating and untimely loss of 3x Olympian and Olympic and World Championship bronze medalist Deon Lendore who has been an inspiration and motivation to us all both on an off the track. pic.twitter.com/jU2OKyqs6Z
— Team TTO (@TTOlympic) January 11, 2022
Lendore competed in three Olympiads and won three silver medals at the World Indoor Championships during his athletic career. In 2014, he went undefeated in 14 races in the 400 m for Texas A&M and won NCAA indoor and outdoor championships. He was serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the school.
Photo: Mar 14, 2014; Albuquerque, NM, USA; Deon Lendore of Texas A&M was the top qualifier in the 400m in 45.60 in the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships at Albuquerque Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
