Jack Hatton, American judo star, dies at 24

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Jack Hatton, star of the United States national judo team, died at age 24.

(CNN) - The US judo team announced Wednesday the "unexpected death" of one of its stars and Olympic contender, Jack Hatton. I was 24 years old.

Hatton was one of the team's best competitors and was a highly decorated athlete, with victories in various competitions around the world.

It was not immediately known how he died.

“Jack left an indelible mark on everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him and will not be forgotten. We join the entire United States judo team and the international judo community during this difficult time, ”the US team said in a statement on its website.

Hatton had been training at the Pedro's Judo Center in Wakefield, Massachusetts, since 2015.

The center paid tribute to him on his Facebook page: “In addition to being a prominent US judo athlete, Jack was kind, caring and a great person in every way. It was a true role model for the students of our dojo and judokas throughout the country. ”