Olympic medalist dies in tragic lightning strike during trip

An Olympic medalist has died after being struck by lightning.

Alpine skier and ski cross athlete Audun Groenvold was struck by lightning during a "cabin trip," the Norwegian Ski Federation announced on Wednesday. He was 49.

"It is with great sadness that we have received the news of Audun Groenvold's untimely passing," the federation said. "The former national Alpine skier and ski cross athlete was recently struck by lightning during a cabin trip."

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The federation said Groenvold was "quickly taken to hospital and received treatment for the injuries he sustained in the lightning strike" and then died Tuesday night.

Groenvold was struck by the bolt on Saturday.

Groenvold was a member of Norway's Alpine skiing team before he moved into freestyle and ski cross in 2004. He earned a bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

He had one podium finish as a World Cup Alpine skier, finishing third in a downhill in Sierra Nevada, Spain, in 1999. He also won a bronze medal in ski cross at the 2005 world championships, and the overall ski cross cup in 2007.

After his career ended, he became a national team coach and a TV commentator.

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"Norwegian skiing has lost a prominent figure, who has meant so much to both the Alpine and freestyle communities," federation president Tove Moe Dyrhaug said, adding that his passing creates "a huge void."

Groenvold finished behind Switzerland's Michael Schmid and Andreas Matt of Austria at the Vancouver games.

He competed in his first race at the age of 3 and earned Alpine Ski World Cup points for the first time two months before his 21st birthday in 1996.

Groenvold competed in the Freestyle Skiing World Cup throughout Europe, where he earned three victories. Two of them came within a one-month span in 2007, and the other came in 2010. He also finished second three other times.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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