12 February 2010

georgian luger team member crashes into steel beam

via drudge

2010 winter olympics at vancouver


they may mute the sound eventually, but for now, you can hear the harshness of the impact described as nodar kumaritashvili, aged 21, a member of the georgian luger team slam into what they call a "pillar" at 90 mph [145 kph] while training in the whistler sliding center.

apparently, kumaritashvili who weighed 176 lbs [80 kg] was instantly killed.

he was the son of the head of the georgia luge federation.

at least three other athletes have been killed in the winter games, including in 1992, nicholas bochatay of switzerland. he died after crashing into a snow grooming machine during training for the demonstration sport of speed skiing.

in 1964, ross milne died when he struck a tree during a training run and also that year, british luger kazimierz kay-skrzypecki, died in a crash during training. ~ source

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