17.07.2025 09:40
In the 2000s, Audun Gronvold, who brought worldwide medals to Norway in cross-country skiing and was a bronze medalist at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, tragically lost his life due to a lightning strike while on a summer vacation with his family. Gronvold, one of Norway's most prominent figures in both alpine skiing and freestyle skiing throughout his career, caused great sorrow in his country with his sudden death.
The Norwegian athlete Audun Gronvold, who won a bronze medal in cross-country skiing at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, passed away due to a lightning strike. The death of 49-year-old Grønvold was announced by the Norwegian Ski Federation.
In a statement from the federation, it was said, "We received the news of Audun Gronvold's untimely death with great sadness. The former national alpine skier and cross-country athlete was struck by lightning during a recent trip to a mountain cabin."
RUSHED TO HOSPITAL BUT COULD NOT BE SAVED
It was reported that Grønvold was quickly taken to the hospital after the lightning strike, but despite all the interventions he received, he passed away on Tuesday night.
CAREER FROM ALPINE SKIING TO CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Grønvold began his sports career in the Norwegian alpine national team and later transitioned to freestyle and cross-country skiing. He became one of the first Norwegian alpine athletes to reach the podium in the World Cup at a competition held in 1999 at the Sierra Nevada ski resort in Spain, where he finished third in the downhill race.
He won a bronze medal in cross-country skiing at the 2005 World Championships and the overall championship in 2007.
FEDERATION: "A GREAT VOID HAS BEEN CREATED"
Tove Moe Dyrhaug, the President of the Norwegian Ski Federation, stated, "Norwegian skiing has lost a figure who contributed greatly to both alpine and freestyle disciplines. His death has created a great void for us." After ending his active sports career, Grønvold was known as an important figure in the skiing community in his country, working as a coach for the Norwegian national team and as a television commentator.
HIS WIFE ANNOUNCED THE SAD NEWS
Grønvold's wife, Kristin Tandberg Haugsjå, expressed her grief in an emotional statement on social media, saying, "He was both my greatest love and my closest friend for 20 years." Haugsjå also noted that the accident occurred during a summer vacation they took as a family.
Audun Grønvold was living with his wife and three children.