Toshiaka Fushimi, a former Olympic cyclist who represented Japan in 2004 and 2008, has passed away at the age of 50 after a bicycle crash.
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According to The Independent, the crash occurred in the Matsusaka Keirin in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture. He veered to avoid two cyclists ahead of him who had crashed in the center of the track. Fushimi veered out of the camera view, but he reportedly crashed into the outer barrier on the track.
The former Olympian was hospitalized after the incident, but he died on Sunday after sustaining fractures to his cervical vertebrae and skull.
【Keirin Race Incident – July 18, 2026】
A tragic accident occurred during a Keirin race, resulting in the death of veteran cyclist Toshiaki Fushimi (50), a former Olympic silver medalist and two-time Grand Prix champion.
According to race footage and reports, Fushimi appeared… pic.twitter.com/Q5HZVPfljn
— Runway (@Runway097) July 19, 2026
"It is truly heartbreaking that he lost his life in an accident during a race," Hiroshi Kido, chairman of the Japan Keirin Association, said in a statement to The Independent.
"We will reconfirm our safety measures and thoroughly ensure fair and safe races."
Fushimi competed in the Olympics on two occasions. He made his debut with the Athens Games in 2004, and he won the silver medal in the team sprint alongside Tomohiro Nagatsuka and Masaki Inoue. He also competed in the Keirin cycling event.
He returned to the Olympic Games in 2008 while competing in Beijing. Once again, he competed in the Keirin.
Fushimi achieved significant success in the Keirin during his cycling career. He won the Keirin Grand Prix two times (2001, 2007), and he won 619 races.
"Toshiaki Fushimi wasn't just a competitor. He was one of the best Keirin riders Japan has ever produced," former professional cyclist Josiah Ng Onn Lam wrote on Instagram. "Grand Prix winner. Olympic Silver Medalist. A true professional on the track.
"We raced against each other for years. That kind of rivalry builds a respect that doesn't fade. Devastated to hear he lost his life doing what he loved. My thoughts are with his family and the entire Keirin community in Japan. Rest in peace, champion."
