German canoe slalom coach dies at Olympic Games

Omnisports 09:21 - 12 August 2016

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German canoe slalom coach Stefan Henze has died at the age of 35 after suffered severe head injuries in a traffic accident in Rio.

Henze and sports scientist Christian Kading were involved in an accident in the early hours of Friday morning. Kading was discharged from hospital after avoiding serious injuries.

The German Olympic Committee (DOSB) confirmed Henze had been transferred to a specialist neurosurgical department for emergency surgery, but it was confirmed on Monday that he had succumbed to his injuries.

"We are very sad on this day," said DOSB president Alfons Hormann. "Words cannot describe what we feel in the Olympic team after this terrible loss."

Henze competed in the C-2 event at the 2004 Olympics alongside Marcus Becker, winning a silver medal.

The German Olympic team have requested that all German flags across Rio are flown at half-mast on Tuesday.