Melissa Dennis, a two-time Olympic cyclist, passed away after being hit by a vehicle in the inner north area of Adelaide.

According to reports, Rohan, the husband of Dennis and a fellow Australian Olympic cyclist, has been charged in connection with her passing.

On Saturday night, Dennis was struck by a ute at Medindie and suffered serious injuries. Paramedics quickly transported her to the Royal Adelaide hospital.

The woman, who was 32 years old and a mother of two, passed away during the night.

The police in South Australia have verified that a 32-year-old woman passed away following a crash on Saturday. According to authorities, a 33-year-old man, identified as Dennis and residing in the northern neighborhood of Medindie, was taken into custody and charged with causing death through reckless driving, driving without proper care, and putting lives at risk.

Melissa Hoskins was born in Perth in 1991. She achieved a gold medal in the team pursuit at the 2015 world championships and participated in the same event at two Olympic Games. Additionally, she was a member of the Australian professional cycling team GreenEDGE from 2012-2015.

In 2018 and 2019, Rohan Dennis successfully defended his individual time trial world titles. He also achieved stage victories in the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he earned a bronze medal in the road time trial and a silver medal in the team pursuit at the London 2012 Olympics. He retired from professional cycling in 2023.

In 2018, the pair tied the knot in the vicinity of Perth and now share a son and a daughter.

The announcement on X by CPA Women, an international organization for women in the cycling profession, expressed shock at the news of Dennis’s passing. They also extended their condolences to her loved ones, particularly her children, and those who had the privilege of riding with her in her all too brief life.

According to ABC, Melissa and Rohan Dennis were supposed to be the main participants in a family cycling event at the Santos Tour Down Under. However, information about the event has been taken down from the tour’s website.

On Saturday at around 8pm, authorities in South Australia stated that a deadly collision occurred in Medindie. Reports indicated that a woman had been struck by a vehicle.

According to reports, the woman sustained severe injuries and was transported to the Royal Adelaide hospital for medical care. Sadly, she passed away during the night.

Police stated that officers with expertise in car accidents were present at the location, along with detectives who were investigating the details of the event.

Police confirmed the driver was known to the woman. He was bailed to appear before Adelaide magistrates court on 13 March.

Source: theguardian.com