VASILE BELOUS, a boxer who competed at the 2012 London Olympics, has died in a car crash at the age of 33.
Police in his home country of Moldova have confirmed the tragic incident after he lost control of his Mercedes in the north of the country.
The car hit the wall of a monastery at high speed and local media pictures showed the high extent of the damage to the vehicle.
Belous was pronounced dead at the scene, and is survived by a wife and two children.
It is not currently known what caused him to come off the road, before he hit the brick wall of the monastery’s entrance in the town of Calaraseuca.
Belous reached the second round of the London Games and won bronze in the Welterweight division at the 2017 European Championships.
Petru Caduc coached the fighter for over 15 years and is quoted by Moldova’s Publika as saying: “He was a very technical athlete. There were few athletes with such technique in Moldova.
“He was a personality, a very dedicated man. He fulfilled everything I asked of him. He trusted me, he never betrayed me.
“He was a great fighter. We are very sorry that what happened.”
Belous defeated Tanzania’s Seleman Kidunda in the London Olympics before falling to Ukraine’s Taras Shelestyuk at the last-16 stage.
In 116 amateur contests, he claimed 72 wins and two KOs, losing on 44 occasions including his last fight in Poland only four months ago.
Moldovan boxing national team coach Igor Untila added: “He was a performance athlete, the pride of Moldovan boxing.
“He participated in the Olympic Games and it is a great tragedy what happened. Condolences to the grieving family and all his loved ones.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
