Paralympic champion cyclist and swimmer Kieran Modra killed in collision with car at Gawler
One of South Australia’s greatest athletes, five-time Paralympic gold medallist Kieran Modra, has been killed in a crash while cycling north of Adelaide.
SA News
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Champion South Australian tandem cyclist and swimmer Kieran Modra has died in a crash while riding near Gawler.
The low-vision five-time Paralympic gold medallist was cycling to Clare from his home at Hallett Cove to see friends when he was hit by a Kia sedan on the Sturt Highway about 7am on Wednesday.
The 47-year-old, who regularly rode by himself, including to and from trainings, died at the scene.
Older brother Mark Modra said the family was “surprised, upset, all those usual emotions when you lose someone suddenly”.
“We’re coming to terms with what it means to us and particularly for his family. He’s got three young girls and a wife that won’t have him from here on,” Mr Modra said.
“But he’s certainly left a huge legacy and certainly quite an achievement from a Paralympic perspective.
“He was certainly one of these guys that would never give up. Nothing was impossible, absolutely nothing, there was no such thing as ‘can’t’.”
The Kia driver – a 26-year-old Greenwith man – was not injured but was taken by ambulance to the Lyell McEwin Hospital as a precaution.
The highway was closed but has now been reopened after Major Crash investigators examined the scene.
Modra was an Australian Paralympic swimmer and tandem cyclist who won five gold and five bronze medals at eight Paralympic Games from 1988 to 2016.
He also won two silver medals at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Born in Port Lincoln in 1972, Modra was the second-youngest of a family of four.
His younger sister, Tania Modra, won two gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.
Modra grew up on a farm at Greenpatch, about 20km north of Port Lincoln, which is now run by his brother, Mark.
Their father, Theo, owned Thistle Island, south-east of Port Lincoln, and ran sheep there before selling it in the 1980s.
Along with his two brothers and sister, Modra attended Immanuel College in the 1980s and Can: Do 4Kids Townsend House at Hove, which provides services for low-vision children.
Modra was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia medal in 2014 for significant service to sport, and to low-vision or blind people.
He was married to Kerry Modra. The couple had three daughters – Makala, Holly and Janae.
Mark Modra said his brother had shown incredible resilience to compete in fast-paced sports that required fine motor skills, despite his visual impairment.
“He just didn’t give up and I think that’s an attribute that we all can benefit from because life’s not easy for most people, but many people cruise through.
“He overcame many different obstacles and impediments, not just from a disability perspective.
“He seemed to perform better under adversity and has been many times going into the Olympics … and not only did he get there, he often came through with a medal, and often a gold medal.”
Former Australian coach Kevin McIntosh called Modra an “absolute superstar” of cycling and not just one of the greatest Paralympians, but a huge advocate for the Paralympic cause.
“He was pretty special as a person and probably the most strong-willed person I’ve ever come across with regard to his desire to be competitive,” said McIntosh, the national Paralympic cycling coach from 1999-2008.
“He brought some superhuman performances to the table and was an incredible athlete.
“He was probably a bit unheralded being a Paralympian … but he’s right up there, as far as I was concerned, as one of the leading Paralympians all time – and I’m not just talking Australian.
“But he was also a very committed public speaker and major influence in SA for the Paralympic movement.”
McIntosh said Modra absolutely loved cycling and would often ride from his home at Hallett Cove to trainings at Gepps Cross.
“He just loved racing his bike,” he said. “I’m in complete shock.
“When you lose someone close to, someone you’ve spent a lot of time with and been through a lot of trials and tribulations with, as head coach most of them become like family members.”
Superintendent Bob Gray, officer in charge of the Traffic Services Branch, said it was too early to speculate on what caused the “tragedy”.
“It’s just another tragedy that was needlessly put upon us that has occurred on our roads,” he said.
“If people are doing the right thing and that metre-and-a-half gap is provided, as you’re required to do so, then there’s no reason (cars and cyclists) shouldn’t be able to share a major highway.
“Roads don’t kill people. People kill people, and it is up to road users … to take responsibility.”
Supt Gray would not be drawn on whether any charges would be laid over the incident.
“We’ll assess all the facts and then we’ll make a decision about how we move forward,” he said.
The tragedy followed an emotional plea on Monday from the state’s top road cop, who criticised drivers for showing a “lack of concern and empathy” for the lives already lost this year, after six deaths in five days.
“If six people got murdered in the state of South Australia in the last five days, can you imagine the community outrage,” Supt Gray said earlier this week.
“Yet there seems to be this total lack of concern and empathy within South Australia.”
Modra’s death brings the state’s road toll to 97 this year, compared with 63 at the same time in 2018.