Germaine Mason, the British athlete who won a high jump silver
medal at the 2008 Olympics, has died in a motorcycle accident in
Jamaica, The Guardian UK reports.
medal at the 2008 Olympics, has died in a motorcycle accident in
Jamaica, The Guardian UK reports.
The 34-year-old was riding at the front of a convoy with a number
of athletes, including Usain Bolt and the 2005 world championship 100m
silver medallist Michael Frater, as well as the former Bolton defender
Ricardo Gardner, when he lost control of his bike on the Palisadoes main
road in Kingston.
of athletes, including Usain Bolt and the 2005 world championship 100m
silver medallist Michael Frater, as well as the former Bolton defender
Ricardo Gardner, when he lost control of his bike on the Palisadoes main
road in Kingston.
Unconfirmed reports suggest he was trying to avoid a vehicle that
had lost control on the other side of the road. He was pronounced dead
at the scene.
had lost control on the other side of the road. He was pronounced dead
at the scene.
Mason was born in Jamaica and trained with the Stephen
Francis-coached MVP Track Club before switching allegiance to Great
Britain in 2006. Two years later he won a silver medal for Great Britain
in Beijing after jumping 2.34m – a height that equalled his personal
best – to finished behind the Russian Andrey Silnov, who cleared 2.36m.
Francis-coached MVP Track Club before switching allegiance to Great
Britain in 2006. Two years later he won a silver medal for Great Britain
in Beijing after jumping 2.34m – a height that equalled his personal
best – to finished behind the Russian Andrey Silnov, who cleared 2.36m.
Andrew Holness, the prime minister of Jamaica, tweeted: “Our sincere condolences to the entire sporting fraternity.”
Mason qualified for Britain by virtue of a British father, who,
confusingly, lived in Jamaica while his Jamaican mother lived in west
London. He held a British passport all his life but decided to switch
allegiances after being struck by a serious knee ligament injury in
2004. He made his GB debut in the 2006 European Cup.
confusingly, lived in Jamaica while his Jamaican mother lived in west
London. He held a British passport all his life but decided to switch
allegiances after being struck by a serious knee ligament injury in
2004. He made his GB debut in the 2006 European Cup.