The renowned Olympic skiing champion, Audun Groenvold, tragically passed away at the age of 49 after being hit by lightning near his cabin on a Saturday. According to Norway’s NRK news outlet, Groenvold succumbed to his injuries three days after the incident. The Norwegian Ski Federation honored him on their official website, describing him as a remarkable athlete who contributed significantly to both alpine skiing and Norwegian freestyle, especially in ski cross. Federation president Tove Moe Dyrhaug expressed, ‘Norwegian skiing has suffered a great loss with the passing of Audun, who has played a crucial role in both the alpine and freestyle skiing communities. Audun excelled in his career as both an alpine skier and a ski cross competitor before he continued his passion as a national ski cross coach, leaving a lasting impact on Norwegian skiing. There will be a significant emptiness felt in our hearts without him.’ Audun is survived by his wife and three children. His wife, Kristin Tandberg Haugsj, paid tribute to him on social media, writing, ‘Audun, my greatest love and my best friend for two decades… today you left us,’ she shared on Facebook. ‘Our joyful summer vacation took a tragic turn when you were struck by lightning while we were at our cabin. Despite receiving immediate medical attention and being hospitalized, you sadly left us last night. Sanna, Selma, William, and I will carry your memory with us forever. Your absence creates an immense void.’ Groenvold formerly competed with the Norwegian Alpine Ski Team from the 1993/94 season through the 2003/04 season. In addition to a third-place finish at an FIS Alpine World Cup event in Spain in 1999, he claimed the national championship gold medal in the downhill competition in 2003 and 2004. The article ‘Olympic skiing hero, Audun Groenvold dies at 49 after being struck by lightning’ first appeared on the Linda Ikeji Blog.