World Champ Dies

[Ivanb]

My sympathies go out to Benny Vansteelants family as he passsed away this morning.

 

He is the current dualthlon champ many Powerman winner etc.Our Jason Spong raced against him many times and Benny was to visit SA for the first time and compete in Powerman SA in January 2008.

 

What do we do to prevent these tragedies

 

 

Benny Vansteelant - a life ended early

Posted by: Editor

Posted on: Friday 14th September 2007

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The tragic news that Belgian duathlon legend Benny Vansteelant has died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the crash last week has been reported by the Belgian Standaard newspaper website: www.standaard.be According to the best translation we can currently get of the piece he had been moved out of intensive care following operations on his broken leg, shoulder and collapsed lung and was under regular observation on a recovery ward. His heart stopped sometime between ward checks at 5:30am and 6am and despite some 30 minutes of effort to revive him it proved impossible.

UPDATE: There's a report in properly translated English on this website: www.vrtnieuws.net and we also have reports that doctors believe that he may have had some sort of seizure as he was actually found beside, rather than in, his bed. Thanks to all those contributing information to this story.

His untimely death comes as a great shock to the duathlon world and his massive run of success at European and World level with 13 championship medals to his name plus the ability to win at both short and long distance races with equal ease marks him out as one of the truly great multisport athletes of his generation. It even looks as though the genetic twist of fate has struck twice as his younger brother, Joerie, has begun to emulate his success in recent years. Tri247 extends its deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

Tributes are pouring in from all sides as those in the sport express their shock at the news. We spoke earlier with Clive Faine, Chair of the ITU's Duathlon Committee, who said, "He was, quite simply, the best".

[Ivanb]

Benny Vansteelant passes away

Following a serious accident last Saturday when his bike was hit by a car near his hometown on Torhout, duathlon legend Benny Vansteelant, 30, died in the early hours of Friday morning.

http://www.britishtriathlon.org/images/articles/vansteelant_benny.jpgThe initial impact had broken his leg in two places, broken his shoulder, perforated a lung and damaged some of the cardiac muscles. Having lost a lot of blood and undergone one operation, Benny had been transferred from intensive care into an observation ward; however on Friday morning his heart stopped and subsequent efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

The British Triathlon Federation express their deep sadness at Benny's passing and pass on their condolences to his friends, family and the Belgian Triathlon Federation.

Earlier this year Benny impressively took victory at the European Duathlon Championships in Edinburgh having dominated the bike section in an awe-inspiring display of power and determination. Over an exceptional elite career Benny had won the World Duathlon four times, World Long-Distance Duathlon four times and European Duathlon five times. In 2001 he won all three titles in the same season.