Sister of athlete killed in Bahrain stays with body

The sister of a New Zealander who was killed in Bahrain while out training on his bike will stay with her brother's body until it is flown home.

Cameron John Clow, 30, a well-known Taranaki multisport competitor was riding on a footpath in the Middle Eastern island kingdom on Friday when a car ploughed into him.

The driver, who was allegedly speeding, has been taken into custody.

Mr Clow, from New Plymouth, was working as a teacher in Bahrain with his fiancee Kate Morgan and sister Gretchen.

They were all working at the Ibn Khuldoon National School in Bahrain.

His parents, Gail and Warren Clow, told the Taranaki Daily News their only son was due home with Ms Morgan in three weeks to plan their wedding.

"We were planning a wedding, now we're planning a funeral," Mr Clow's father said.

While a distraught Ms Morgan immediately returned home, Mr Clow's sister had stayed in Bahrain to accompany her brother home, Mrs Clow said.

"Gretchen and him had a very special relationship, that's why she won't leave until he's coming home," Mrs Clow said.

"We need to have him home and we need Gretchen here."

The Bahrainian king's daughter, whose son was one of Mr Clow's students, had offered to pay for one of the teachers to fly home with Ms Clow to keep her company.

Mr Clow won this year's Bahrain Road Race Series (running) and finished in the top 10 in four New Zealand multisport races last year.

- NZPA