Vancouver 2010 Olympic athlete dead after being struck by lightning
A bronze medalist from the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games is dead after being struck by lightning.
Audun Grønvold died at the age of 49 after being struck by lightning this past Saturday while on a cabin trip with his family, according to the Norwegian Ski Federation. The trailblazing Norwegian athlete leaves behind a wife and three kids.
After being taken to the hospital, the federation said that Grønvold died from his injuries on Tuesday night. His wife, Kristin Tandberg Haugsjå, sent out a Facebook statement on her husband’s death on Wednesday.
“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,” she said in a translated version of the post.
“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.”
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Grønvold won a bronze medal at the Vancouver 2010 Games in ski cross, finishing just ahead of Canadian Christopher Del Bosco. The Norwegian entered the final in fourth place, but was able to leapfrog onto the podium after Del Bosco wiped out and did not finish the race.
It was the first-ever ski cross men’s event to be featured in the Olympic Games and was held on Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver.
That capped off an illustrious skiing career that included a Ski Cross World Championship victory in 2007 and multiple national championships in downhill skiing (2003, 2004) and ski cross (2005, 2006).
“Norwegian skiing has lost a prominent figure, who has meant so much to both the Alpine and freestyle communities,” said Tove Moe Dyrhaug, the president of the Norwegian Ski Federation.
Following his athletic career, Grønvold turned his attention to coaching, becoming the head coach of the Norwegian ski cross team from 2010 to 2012. He also sold sporting equipment and did media work in Norway.