A former Olympic bronze medalist has died aged 49 after a horror incident occurred on Tuesday.
Audun Groenvold tragically passed away after being struck by lightning during a cabin trip, the Norwegian ski federation confirmed on Wednesday.
The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics bronze medallist was injured in the lightning strike and rushed to hospital for treatment. He died on Tuesday night from his injuries.
The federation confirmed that Groenvold was "quickly taken to hospital and received treatment for the injuries he sustained in the lightning strike" before his death.
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|Audun Groenvold won bronze at the 2010 Winter Olympics
"It is with great sadness that we have received the news of Audun Groenvold's untimely passing," the federation said in a statement.
"The former national Alpine skier and ski cross athlete was recently struck by lightning during a cabin trip."
Following his retirement from competitive skiing, Groenvold remained deeply involved in the sport. He took on a role as national team coach for ski cross and became a familiar face to Norwegian television audiences as a skiing commentator.
Groenvold initially competed as an Alpine skier for Norway before transitioning to freestyle and ski cross disciplines.
His Alpine career included a third-place finish in a World Cup downhill race at Sierra Nevada, Spain, in 1999.
He found greater success after switching to ski cross, capturing a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships. Two years later, he claimed the overall ski cross World Cup title in 2007.
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|He competed in various skiing competitions for Norway
His contributions extended beyond coaching and broadcasting, as he also served on the Norwegian ski board.
Norwegian ski federation president Tove Moe Dyrhaug paid tribute to Groenvold's lasting impact on the sport.
She said: "Norwegian skiing has lost a prominent figure, who has meant so much to both the Alpine and freestyle communities," describing his passing as creating "a huge void."
"Audun had a great career in both alpine skiing and ski cross, before becoming the national ski cross coach," Moe Dyrhaug continued.
"The Norwegian Ski Association also remembers his efforts on the ski board. There will be a big void after Audun."
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|Following his career he went on to become a successful commentator
Marius Arnesen, who coached Groenvold in the early 2000s, spoke to local newspaper Verdens Gang about his former athlete.
He said: "It's just terribly sad and tragic. [He was] a thoughtful and wonderful boy who, when it comes to skiing, had a fantastic feeling for the surface in the snow."