Germaine Mason, who won silver at the Beijing Games in 2008, was killed in a motorbike accident as he rode home from a party with Usain Bolt and other pals in Kingston, Jamaica on Thursday morning.
The 34-year-old died at the scene after losing control of his bike amid claims he swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle.
He had been on a night out with triple world and Olympic champion Bolt, along with sprinter Michael Frater.
Mason grew up on the Caribbean island, but switched allegiances to represent Great Britain in 2006 ahead of the Olympics in China two years later.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness tweeted after his death: “Our sincere condolences to sporting fraternity.”
Mason is still the holder of the Jamaican national record in the high-jump, set before he emigrated to the UK.
The high-jumper decided to switch to represent Great Britain to help develop his training regime, on the back of having a father, David, who was born in London.
He made the most of improved facilities to step up his training regime — and was rewarded with a shock silver medal in Beijing.
He equaled his personal best in the final by clearing a height of 2.34m, with Russian Andrey Silnov taking the gold by two centimeters.
Mason continued to compete until 2016 before retiring, and returned home to Jamaica to be closer to his family and friends.
Mason’s death comes less than four months after two more British athletes were seriously injured in a motorbike crash while warm weather training in Tenerife.
