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Cyclist dies after crash at OCBC event

SINGAPORE — He took up cycling three years ago and died doing what he enjoyed the most, said his family members.

National Serviceman Chia Wee Kiak’s wake yesterday. Mr Chia died from head injuries that he suffered during an accident at the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday. Photo: Wee Teck Hian

National Serviceman Chia Wee Kiak’s wake yesterday. Mr Chia died from head injuries that he suffered during an accident at the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday. Photo: Wee Teck Hian

SINGAPORE — He took up cycling three years ago and died doing what he enjoyed the most, said his family members.

National Serviceman Chia Wee Kiak, 24, died yesterday morning after suffering serious head injuries when he fell off his bicycle last Sunday at the OCBC Cycle Singapore event.

Three days after he underwent 13 hours of surgery to remove blood clots from both sides of his brain at the Singapore General Hospital, Mr Chia succumbed to his injuries.

Mr Chia — or Weijie as he is more fondly known — is survived by his parents, both in their 50s, and his 20-year-old sister, Jia Yin.

At his wake yesterday at Admiralty attended by close to 60 family members and friends, including Mr Chia’s National Service camp mates, a red and white OCBC Cycle Singapore lanyard was placed on a chair strapped with a blue checkered shirt in front of his fully-covered casket.

On the eve of his 59km Super Challenge ride, Mr Chia had posted on his Facebook: “So excited!! Can’t wait for the race on Sunday!”

Asked whether Mr Chia’s family is satisfied with the assistance provided by title sponsors OCBC and event organisers Spectrum Worldwide, his cousin, Ms Angel Soo, 30, said they will not be pursuing the matter and do not have a yardstick to measure their level of satisfaction thus far.

“Weijie is now gone and we had no intention, from the start, to blame the event organisers or sponsors. We just want to find out what happened,” Ms Soo said.

On the contrasting accounts of Mr Chia’s accident by the event organisers and witnesses, she added: “We understand different people see different things at different times, and it is not that the accounts are contrasting. They are just different.”

Family members and friends described Mr Chia as a very happy-go-lucky and outgoing person, with cycling being his favourite hobby. He would cycle whenever time allowed him to and also influenced his sister and cousins to pick up the sport. Mr Chia was due to complete his National Service in July and had tentative plans to either return to school or start working.

Said Ms Soo: “We all may look strong, especially his parents, but you can be sure we are all hurting.

“Our priority now is to complete the arrangements of the wake and we trust that the police and relevant authorities will handle the investigations.

“A lot of people have come forward to assist us with eyewitness accounts, and expressed their concern, and we are very grateful with whatever help we can get.

“We are directing them to the police to give their statements.”

Management staff from OCBC Bank went to the wake to pay their respects and had a private conversation with Mr Chia’s father.

Both OCBC and Spectrum Worldwide declined to comment and released a statement on the OCBC Cycle Singapore Facebook page, which said they are “deeply saddened” by Mr Chia’s death.

The statement added: “We would like to express our deepest condolences to the family. Spectrum Worldwide and OCBC will continue to extend all the support needed to Mr Chia’s family in this very difficult time.”

More than 100 people have commented on the post and sent their condolences, including one which read: “This is a very sad moment for the family and, unfortunately, cycling in Singapore.”

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