BRYAN, Texas — Deon Lendore, a former track star at Texas A&M who won a bronze medal in 2012 as a sprinter for Trinidad and Tobago, was killed in a head-on crash Monday night, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was 29.
According to DPS spokesperson Sgt. Bryan Washko, Lendore was driving a 2015 Volkswagen Jetta when he crossed over the highway’s center stripe and side-swiped another vehicle, KAGS-TV reported. Lendore continued driving and drifted across the center stripe again, crashing head-on with a 2018 Infiniti SUV that was driven by a 65-year-old woman from Conroe, according to the television station.
Lendore died at the scene, according to the DPS. The driver of the SUV was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries, and the person driving the vehicle that was side-swiped was not injured.
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
Texas A&M coach Pat Henry said Lendore was driving home from practice when the crash occurred, the Houston Chronicle reported. He was a volunteer assistant coach at Texas A&M, according to KAGS.
Lendore won a bronze medal for Trinidad and Tobago at the 2012 Summer Olympics, anchoring the 1,600-meter relay in London, according to the AP. In 2014, he went undefeated in 14 races at 400 meters while winning individual NCAA indoor and outdoor championships.
He also won a silver medal in the 400-meter relay in the 2015 World Championship, KAGS reported.
While at Texas A&M, Lendore won the Bowerman Award at the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association convention in 2014, the television station reported.
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
©2022 Cox Media Group