National triathlete Russell Lee died at age 24 on Nov 12, 2026, following a road traffic accident involving a tipper truck along Tanah Merah Coast Road in Changi, The Straits Times reported.
The Triathlon Association of Singapore (TAS) stated in a media release on Nov 15 that it was deeply saddened by the sudden death of the national squad member, who was also a materials science and engineering student at Nanyang Technological University, according to Mothership.
TAS president Michelle Evelyn Chow said the sporting community suffered an irreplaceable loss. Police confirmed that they were alerted to the collision at about 8am on Nov 12, and a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic pronounced the cyclist dead at the scene.
“At just 24 years old, Russell was a dedicated student-athlete and a cherished member of our national squad.”
said Chow, as reported by CNA. She added that the 38-year-old male tipper truck driver is assisting police with ongoing investigations.
Fellow national triathletes shared tributes on social media. Herlene Natasha Yu recounted seeing Lee just minutes before the crash.
“Just 15 to 20 mins before the accident, we waved and smiled at each other from across the road. Never would I have thought that wave would have been the last. I was probably the last familiar face you saw and that absolutely breaks me.”
Yu told The Straits Times.
Nicholas Rachmadi, a two-time Southeast Asian Games medallist, also paid tribute on Instagram.
“More than just a teammate and competitor, you were like a younger brother to me.”
Rachmadi wrote, as reported by CNA.
The tragedy occurred during a span of fatal road accidents in eastern Singapore. A day earlier on Nov 11, a 37-year-old female cyclist died in an accident involving a tipper truck at the junction of Amber Road and Amber Gardens in Katong, The Straits Times reported. Police arrested a 47-year-old male truck driver for driving without reasonable consideration causing death.
