Olympic medallist tragically dies aged 49 after being struck by lightning on family vacation
Topics: Olympics, Sport, News, World News
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Olympics, Sport, News, World News
Olympic champion Audun Grønvold has died after being struck by lightning.
Grønvold was a professional freestyle skier and won bronze for Norway at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Before focusing his attention on freestyle skiing, Grønvold was part of Norway's Alpine skiing team.
He also won gold in the downhill skiing two years running at the Norwegian National Championship in 2003 and 2004.
Shortly after his Olympic success 15 years ago, Grønvold decided to hang up his skis and retire from the sport.
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He didn't move away from the sport completely, though; instead, he became a national team coach and a TV commentator, per CNN.
Grønvold was recently on vacation with his wife and their three kids when disaster truck.
The 49-year-old Olympian was struck by lightning and rushed to hospital for urgent medical attention. Despite their efforts, Grønvold died on Tuesday (July 15).
The Norwegian ski federation went on to announce the news of his untimely passing a day later.
"It is with great sadness that we have received the news of Audun Grønvold’s untimely passing,” the federation said. "The former national alpine skier and ski cross athlete was recently struck by lightning during a cabin trip."
It added that the skier was 'quickly taken to hospital and received treatment for the injuries he sustained in the lightning strike' but sadly succumbed to his injuries.
Elsewhere, the federation's president, Tove Moe Dyrhaug, said that 'Norwegian skiing has lost a prominent figure' in the wake of Grønvold’s death and that his passing will leave a 'huge void'.
Grønvold’s wife, Kristin Tandberg Haugsjå, has also paid tribute to the late Olympic medallist.
In a tear-jerking Facebook post, Haugsjå said, as per NRK: "Audun, my great love and my best friend for twenty years... today you left us. What started with a lovely summer vacation ended last Saturday with you being struck by lightning while we were out at our cabin.
"Although you quickly received treatment and were taken to hospital, you died from your injuries last night. Sanna, Selma, William and I will carry you with us in our hearts. The loss of you is enormous."
Nroweigan alpline skier Kjetil André Aamodt has paid tribute to the father-of-three as well.
"It's just terribly tragic and a sad message to receive," he told NRK. "It was a sudden and far too early death, so it's very brutal."
Aamodt continued to tell the publication that Grønvold was was 'one of the fastest and most agile athletes measured in tests at the Olympic summit'.
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