Benny Vansteelant (r) after winning Powerman Malaysia 200613-time World Champion Benny Vansteelant died Friday morning in a Belgian hospital after suffering a reported seizure. The 30-year-old Belgian's heart stopped between 5:30AM and 6:00AM after doctors attempted for 30 minutes to revive him.
Vansteelant was hospitalised last Saturday after he collided with a car on a training bike ride in the Flemish town of Hooglede-Gits.
He was rushed to a hospital in Roeselare, West Flanders, where he remained in intensive care until Thursday afternoon. Doctors were unsure he would return to his world-class form but were confident he would survive his injuries and make a full recovery.
Thursday afternoon he was moved out of the hospital's intensive care unit and the hospital said in a statement "the patient had a quiet night".
Vansteelant was the most dominant duathlete of all-time, winning in both short and long course formats. He is survived by his family, including rising star duathlete Joerie, Benny's younger brother.
1 comment:
This is terribly sad, I met this guy when he first came to Malaysia just before the Powerman race. He asked to borrow my track pump. He talked a lot with great enthusiasm about the race and Malaysia. Asked about me and how I was feeling etc... A totally unassuming, humble and lovely guy. I thought he was just an enthusiastic age-grouper and I warned him to take it easy because of the heat. He was very appreciative and then went on and won the race - What a guy and what a loss. It's been an awful weekend all in all with Colin MaCrae and his 5 year-old son dying in a helicoptor crash and the Phuket plane crash.
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