The tragic news that Belgian duathlon legend Benny Vansteelant has died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the crash last week has been reported by the Belgian Standaard newspaper website: www.standaard.be According to the best translation we can currently get of the piece he had been moved out of intensive care following operations on his broken leg, shoulder and collapsed lung and was under regular observation on a recovery ward. His heart stopped sometime between ward checks at 5:30am and 6am and despite some 30 minutes of effort to revive him it proved impossible.

UPDATE: There's a report in properly translated English on this website: www.vrtnieuws.net and we also have reports that doctors believe that he may have had some sort of seizure as he was actually found beside, rather than in, his bed. We also understand that the Belgian attorney general from Kortrijk, the district where the accident happened, has ordered an autopsy to determine whether his death was a direct cause of the accident.

Tonight's IAAF Memorial Van Damme meeting in Brussels will start at 6.20pm with a minute silence in honour of Vansteelant and Torhout, the place where he was born, raised and still lived until today, has opened a condolence register. Thanks to all those contributing information to this story.

His untimely death comes as a great shock to the duathlon world and his massive run of success at European and World level with 13 championship medals to his name plus the ability to win at both short and long distance races with equal ease marks him out as one of the truly great multisport athletes of his generation. It even looks as though the genetic twist of fate has struck twice as his younger brother, Joerie, has begun to emulate his success in recent years. Tri247 extends its deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

Tributes are pouring in from all sides as those in the sport express their shock at the news. We spoke earlier with Clive Faine, Chair of the ITU's Duathlon Committee, who said, "He was, quite simply, the best".

Benny's achievements included World Junior title in 1997, World standard distance champion in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, World long distance champion in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006 and European champion in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007. He was awarded the 'Sport Jewel of Flanders' in 2003, the highest honour that a sportsman can get in the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium.