Tributes pour in for Olympic medallist killed at 29
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tributes to Olympic medallist Deon Lendore have poured in after he was involved in a fatal car crash.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 29-year-old won bronze at the 2012 Olympics in London as part of Trinidad and Tobago’s 4x400m relay team. He also competed in the individual 400m at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics in Rio and Tokyo, and won silver at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/17294744/deon-lendore-killed-car-crash-tributes/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sun</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, it is understood that the sprinter died in a crash in Texas, where he trains.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee issued a statement paying tribute to the athlete, describing him as “an inspiration” to many “both on and off the track”.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Words cannot adequately express our sadness at the devastating and untimely loss of three-time Olympic and Olympics and World Championships bronze medallist Deon Lendore, who has been an inspiration and motivation to us all both on and off the track,” the statement read.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr">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. <a href="https://t.co/jU2OKyqs6Z">pic.twitter.com/jU2OKyqs6Z</a></p>
— Team TTO (@TTOlympic) <a href="https://twitter.com/TTOlympic/status/1480814051286474752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Deon has flown the Trinidad flag with pride, honour, patriotism and an indomitable will throughout his career while helping and inspiring many.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We express our deepest and heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, teammates, coaches, Abilene Club, Community of Arima and all who he would have touched.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is a sad day for the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic and Commonwealth Sport Movement.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Lendore was a student athlete at Texas A&M University, and secured his 400m personal best of 44.36 seconds back in 2014.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fellow athletes have also taken to social media to share their condolences and pay tribute to Mr Lendore.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jamaican runner Natoya Goule wrote on Instagram: “I’m in total shock Deon. You broke my heart.”</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr">As we look at <a href="https://twitter.com/deonlendore?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@deonlendore</a> final moments of representing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamTTO?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamTTO</a> you will see that his final act was one of kindness and service. He wheeled Dwight from the main stadium to the warmup stadium when Dwight couldn’t walk.<br /><br />Rest Well Deon….Rest Well❤️😭❤️😭 <a href="https://t.co/XIRs5yq0sl">pic.twitter.com/XIRs5yq0sl</a></p>
— Nic-Connor Alexander (@nicconnor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicconnor/status/1480858766371438600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nic-Connor Alexander, a sprinter and fellow member of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic team, shared a clip of one of Mr Lendore’s final moments with another teammate.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As we look at @deonlendore final moments of representing #TeamTTO you will see that his final act was one of kindness and service. He wheeled Dwight from the main stadium to the warmup stadium when Dwight couldn’t walk,” he wrote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Rest Well Deon…. Rest Well.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An account for Texas A&M University’s track, field and cross country teams also shared a tribute on Twitter.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr">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.<br /><br />Here.<br /><br />📰 <a href="https://t.co/eyIli0BGVY">https://t.co/eyIli0BGVY</a> <a href="https://t.co/dMn09LsfFh">pic.twitter.com/dMn09LsfFh</a></p>
— Texas A&M Track & Field/Cross Country (@aggietfxc) <a href="https://twitter.com/aggietfxc/status/1481003705306603528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Deon Lendore,” the post read.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“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.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">American shot-putter Darren Hill added: “RIP champ. Thank you for all the laughs and good vibes man.”</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @deonlendore (Instagram)</span></em></p>
