R.I.P.
Men's Olympic luger Nodar Kumaritashvili passed away on Friday afternoon while training for the Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia.
He was only 21 years old.
Kumaritashvili reportedly lost control of his sled while training at the Whistler Sliding Center and flew over the track's wall, crashing into a large steel pole.
Paramedics were unable to revive the Olympic luger from the country of Georgia after he was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Kumaritashvili died shortly thereafter.
So, so sad.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.
[Photo via Getty Images.]
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Work your whole life to get to that point. Imagine the excitement he must have had? This is so unbelievably terrible and sad. RIP
passed away isn't the correct word… he crashed into the wall doing 70mph crushing his body. Hope his death is mentioned and mourned while everyone is jumping around singing tonight
Very sad story before the opening night.
Oh my god…that's just awful. The luger's always make their sport look so effortless, it's easy to forget just how dangerous it is.
How awful. RIP
Yes-he lost control and crashed into a metal pole at 144kms. Poor guy:(:( What a way to start the olympics-sad sad sad-my thoughts to his family
He was actually clocked at 144 kms per hour when he crashed just before 11 am, get your facts straight people!!!
God damn Oger boy, get your fucking reporting right just for once.! You blithering idiot!
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He died instantly NOT thereafter!
On site paramedics where unable to revive him.
He was dead before the air ambulance got there 8 minutes after the crash.
He hit the steel pole at 90 mph.
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Very tragic, this puts a dark cloud over the Olympics.
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this is just tragic. what a horrible way to start the games. his poor family.
I think passed away isn't the right expression. It's not like he was 80 years old and was walking down the street and had a heart attack. He had a horrible accident and died. I think there might be a better term than saying he passed away. I just heard on the news that there were people telling whoever made that thing that there were walls or something that weren't high enough and this was going to happen. That's really sad that guy probably put his entire life into that sport.
If you think outside the typical, he died doing what he loved, knowing the level of risk. So in a sense, his courage towards fear did not stop him from his passion…Not saying it isn't tragic, just looking at the glass half full.
There is video of him crashing on the internet. It is extremely graphic and very sad to watch. Really makes you think about the dangers these athletes face.
The Video of this is horrific as well as the photos! They should not have posted those online out of respect for the family
very sad. and thank you for not showing the video.
Very sad! Imagine what his family is going through now! RIP Nodar!
I checked Georgian web-sites and they haven't posted this horrrible news yet, but again with the time difference - it the middle of the night in Republic of Georgian right now.
Oh no! He didn't get to live his big moment! This is really really sad =(
I am f*ckin disgusted that the media, all over, has opted to keep replaying the footage of this accident. It is sickening. Imagine losing a loved one, and grieving over it, while the world sits back and watches this all over the news. I can't believe that footage was released. And amazed this sh*t head didn't post it on here. Perhaps one of the most admirable things this idiot (Perez) has ever done.
that is awful, terrible RIP poor guy
It seriously upsets me that they showed the footage on t.v! How could they do that? It is so completely inappropriate! Apparently, the track is the most dangerous in the world. I completely support my country of Canada must there should have been more safety measures put in place. It cost a life.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family right now. So very, very sad.
R.I.P Nordar.
Perez, thank you for not posting the video and whatever you do, please do not post it in the future.
This is so sad. I'm so sorry for his family and the nation of Georgia.
The death of such a young athlete right before competing makes the olympics seem so…sad. RIP
Re: cute_puppy – Before you go on about others getting things wrong - he died AT the hospital by all news accounts…. aside from that, they need to stop the luge from taking place tomorrow, the last few days many lugers have been commenting about the dangers. I hope they stage a walkout until the track is made a bit slower.
Re: Andy27 –
Totally agree. Showing the video footage is inconsiderate to the family. RIP.
So sad… Thank you Perez for posting this. This athlete had come to Vancouver to live his lifelong dream, and he deserved the chance to live it. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.
this made me cry … RIP
You believed in your dreams and never gave up. You had a good life and ended up to compete in the Olympics race. Rest in peace.
that is so scary. he just kinda went down the luge, thinking, wow i hope i do well, but little did he know it would be his last time.
This is a tragic start to our Olympics but the record needs to be set straight about the Whistler sliding centre.
It is the fastest track in the world, and for that reason the most dangerous. However, it does meet all safety requirements and has been approved by all necessary committees.
This track demands the highest level of performance from conditioned, experienced athletes - which, if I may remind you, is the entire point of the olympic games. It is the responsibility of athletes, and coaches to determine who is ready for this level of competition. However talented this man may have been it has been suggested that his lack of experience is at fault, not our sliding centre.
RIP.
They showed the actual footage. My heart just broke for him and his family. It was terrifying to watch how he died. My heart just broke
I couldn't help but cry when I saw the video. He was so young.
I wouldn't think "passed away" is not the proper term.
Nonetheless, that's TERRIBLE, I'm so sorry to hear that.
RIP.
You don't give a SHIT. You are just padding your site. Because if it bleeds, it leads???
So sad :'( Rest in Peace.
RIP from Vancouver
It was so sad to see this on t.v. I don't think that footage should have been released.
It's very sad ! this guys was probably soooooooooo ready for that !
Omg… that is so sad and how scary! Poor guy, working hard to succeed and end up dying for it. So sad…
this is SO tragic i can't even stand it. your whole life is dedicated to this day… then you are killed practicing for it. it's just so upsetting.
Re: Andy27 – I could not agree with with everything you said! This is so tragic and heartbreaking and it sickens me these distasteful websites are showing the graphic video and pictures. R.I.P.
So, so sad. RIP, Nodar. Has anyone said WHY they don't have those steel poles padded?? It seems like something they'd just automatically due "just in case." Condolences to his family.
Alex74 - Re: Alex74 – They're not padded because it makes zero difference. A collision with anything solid at that speed would have the exact same result. Death caused by very rapid deceleration.
Being from Vancouver I am absolutely ashamed at this. No one should have to go what he did. The track should have been built to be absolutely perfect, and it wasn't. With sports like this it always has to be 100% perfect. It is not acceptable and I'm VERY embarrassed and saddened that this had to be in my city
At the speed he was traveling (144 kms per hour) it would have been like 20,000 pounds of pressure hitting that pole so at the very least, he died instantly. He DID NOT die in transport. They were unable to revive him. It's a terrible thing to happen at the start of the games. Being from Canada I will root for us for everything but this sport, I'm going to root for Georgia to take the win on this one. It might in some way, bring some proudness to the parents. RIP
rip fukfayce
im guessing with that kind of impact it was instant for him.i think it disgusting how they not only played it but had all diffrent freeze frames from every angle.i too hope georgia gets the win on this one, for him!R.I.P!
I wish the news media would STOP playing the footage. It is so disrespectful. I wanted to watch the games with my kids today but I'm not for fear they will show that horrific accident repeatedly. What is it about the news media that thinks it's ok showing a man die?? Horrible.
Are you kidding me!? Gosh…this is is just way too sad.
Wow! I saw this on the news. That is SO sad. But at least he died doing what he loved best.
R.i.p..
so sad..
At least he died doing what he enjoyed. Tragic.
So sad…:(
i am sad for the loss of the young athlete's life, happy that it appears he may have died almost instantaneously, and he was doing what he loved- any athlete who chases speed also runs with death every time they race- that is a great deal of the excitement for the athletes as well as the spectators.