Athletics world mourns Batman

THE athletics world was in mourning yesterday after the death of Sydney Olympian and national sprint champion Daniel Batman.

The 31-year-old died in a car crash on the Arnhem Highway in the Northern Territory.

Batman's best international result was a sixth place at the World Indoor Championships in 2003.

His 400m winning heat time of 46.11 remains the Australian indoor record. He was also a dual national 200m champion.

Born in Melbourne, Batman was married to former sprinter and Australian Olympic hockey player Nova Peris-Kneebone for almost a decade. They had two children and divorced in 2011.

He had been visiting the children when the accident occurred.