Norwegian Olympic bronze medallist Audun Grønvold dies at 49 after lightning strike
Audun Grønvold, Norway’s Olympic ski cross bronze medallist from the 2010 Vancouver Games, has died at 49 after being struck by lightning while vacationing with his family.
A former Alpine skier turned freestyle champion, Grønvold won national downhill titles in 2003 and 2004 before switching to ski cross. After retiring post-Olympics, he stayed active in the sport as a coach and TV commentator.
He was struck by lightning during a cabin trip with his wife and three children and later died in hospital on July 15. The Norwegian Ski Federation confirmed his passing, calling him a major figure in the sport.
His wife, Kristin Tandberg Haugsjå, paid tribute on Facebook, writing, “Audun, my great love… you left us too soon.” Olympic legend Kjetil André Aamodt also expressed his sorrow, calling the death “sudden and brutal.”
