British Olympic medallist killed in Jamaica motorcycle crash

Germaine Mason won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games

Thursday, 20th April 2017

A British athlete has died after the motorbike he was riding crashed in the early hours of this morning.

Jamaica-born Germaine Mason, who won a high jump silver medal for Great Britain at the Beijing in 2008, reportedly lost control of his bike on the way to Kingston.

Germaine Mason, 34, Jamaican-born athlete and former national high jumper, died in a motorcycle crash this morning.

— Jamaica Constabulary (@JamaicaConstab) April 20, 2017

He grew up in Jamaica's capital but qualified for the Great Britain team because his father was born in England.

Police have confirmed the 34-year-old's death, and it is believed he died at the scene.

Andrew Holness, Jamaica's prime minister, wrote on Twitter: "Our sincere condolences to the entire sporting fraternity."

Mason was well-known across the Caribbean nation, having won the world indoor bronze for Jamaica in 2003.

Despite a career-threatening injury that ruled him out until 2004, he switched allegiance to Great Britain in 2006 in a move which rocked Jamaican athletics.

Tributes have been paid to Mason across social media by a number of sports stars.