5-Time Australian Paralympic Champion Kieran Modra Dies at Age 47

Australian Paralympic cyclist and swimmer Kieran Modra died Wednesday at the age of 47 after colliding with a car while cycling in Adelaide, Australia.

According to the BBC, Modra hit a car traveling in the same direction he was. He was visually impaired.

Modra began competing in the Paralympics in 1988 and was last part of them in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. During his athletic career, he won five gold and three bronze medals in Paralympic cycling, as well as two bronze medals in Paralympic swimming.

Per the BBC, Paralympics Australia Chief Executive Lynne Anderson said the entire country was "shocked" and "devastated" by Modra's death in a statement on his passing: 

"Our deepest condolences are with Kieran's wife Kerry and their three children as well as the many people within the Paralympic community, particularly the Para-cycling community, who will be rocked by this tragedy. We are hurting with you.

"As an athlete, he was the fiercest of competitors who was at his best when the odds were against him. Away from the competitive arena, Kieran was a kind soul and a great character with a huge heart who loved engaging with people and sharing his experiences."

Modra made his debut in the Paralympics held in Seoul, South Korea, in 1988 in athletics before transitioning to swimming for the 1992 Paralympics in Barcelona, where he won a pair of bronze medals.

He began competing in cycling at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, which is where he won his first of five gold medals. His most recent gold came in London in 2012, and he won a bronze in Rio in 2016.

In addition to his Paralympic excellence, Modra won seven gold medals and two silvers in the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, as well as two silvers at the Commonwealth Games.