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2008 Olympic track and field silver medalist dies in motorcycle crash

Olympics Day 11 - Athletics

BEIJING - AUGUST 19: Germaine Mason of Great Britain celebrates second place and the silver medal in the Men’s High Jump Final held at the National Stadium on Day 11 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 19, 2008 in Beijing, China. Mason jumped a PB of 2.34. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

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Germaine Mason, a 2008 Olympic high jump silver medalist for Great Britain, died in a motorcycle crash Thursday morning, according to Jamaican police.

Mason, 34, suffered his fatal crash in his birthplace of Kingston, Jamaica, according to reports.

“He allegedly lost control and fell from the motorcycle,” at 4:20 a.m., Jamaican police said, according to Reuters. “The police were summoned, and Mason was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.”

Mason was often seen with Usain Bolt, including at Oktoberfest in 2016. Bolt was reportedly on the scene Thursday morning shortly after the crash.

“Usain Bolt was part of the group that came by, and he was very, very emotional, and still is,” Jamaica Senior Superintendent of Police Calvin Allen said, according to the BBC. “I understand they are very close friends.”

Neither Jamaican police nor Bolt’s agent have said whether Bolt was with Mason before the crash.

Mason earned silver in Beijing behind Russian Andrey Silnov, marking Great Britian’s best Olympic or world championships men’s high jump finish in 100 years.

Mason matched his personal best by clearing 2.34 meters in the final in his lone Olympic appearance.

Mason competed internationally from 2000 to 2012, switching to compete from Jamaica to Great Britain in 2006.

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