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A paralympic javelin star has died after being struck by a metal pole as he prepared for next week’s World Championships, according to police.
Abdullah Hayayei, 36, was training at Newham Leisure Centre in east London, on Tuesday evening, with his teammates when the incident occurred.
Emergency services were called to reports of a “seriously injured man” just after 5pm as witnesses described seeing a man receive resuscitation on the green outside the building.
The sportsman was pronounced dead at the scene twenty minutes later.
The news has come as a great shock as the talented United Emirates national was due to compete in the shot put, discus and javelin events in the tournament starting on Friday.
Police say his family and teammates have been informed of the tragic news.
The leisure centre was closed off to the public for the rest of the evening while a police cordon is in place around the venue as health and safety investigate.
A spokesman for the Met Police said: “At this early stage, it is believed the man was struck by a metal pole, which formed part of training facilities at the centre.
“It can be confirmed that the man was a competitor at the World Para Athletic Championships being held in London. His next of kin have been informed. Police officers remain at the scene and cordons are in place. The Health and Safety Executive have been informed.”
Newham Leisure Centre took to Facebook this evening to announce they would be closed for the rest of the day.
Last September, Hayayei made his Paralympic debut at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. He finished sixth in the javelin F34 and seventh in shot put F34.
London 2017 was to be Hayayei’s second World Championships. At the 2015 event in Doha, Qatar, he finished fifth in the discus F34 and eighth in shot put F34.