HTC-Highroad women’s team rider Carla Swart has been killed in a training accident in South Africa.

Swart, who represented South Africa at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and finished eighth in the women’s road race, was hit by a truck in the Free State province, according to News24.

The 23-year-old made her breakthrough in 2008 when she secured the US collegiate titles across all four disciplines – road racing, track, cyclo-cross and mountain biking.

Swart joined HTC-Highroad ahead of the 2011 season and attended the team’s first training camp in Morgan Hill, California last month. 

The news comes the day after 18-year-old Lewis Balyckyi was killed after being hit by a Ford Transit on North Road in Bretherton, Lancashire.

Balyckyi was, until recently, a member of the British Cycling Talent Team.

Sergeant Gareth Hill said: “The investigation into this collision is continuing and I would ask anybody who witnessed it to contact police.”

Anybody with any information should contact police on 08451 25 35 45 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.