Olympic Medalist Killed by Lightning at 49

"The loss of you is enormous," the wife of Audun Grønvold wrote in a Facebook post. Norway's ski community is saying much the same. The Olympic bronze medalist died Tuesday at age 49 after being struck by lightning during a trip to his family's cabin. The Norwegian Ski Federation confirmed Grønvold's death on Wednesday, stating he was "quickly taken to hospital and received treatment for the injuries he sustained" in the Saturday strike but did not recover.

"Norwegian skiing has lost a prominent figure, who has meant so much to both the Alpine and freestyle communities," said the federation's president, who described "a huge void" left by Grønvold's death, per the AP. Grønvold's career spanned both alpine and freestyle skiing, reports USA Today. He initially rose through the ranks as an alpine competitor, spending more than a decade on Norway's national team before shifting to ski cross—a discipline where competitors race head-to-head down obstacle-filled courses.

He finished third in ski cross' Olympic debut at the 2010 Vancouver Games and remained involved in the sport as a national team coach, federation board member, and skiing broadcaster. In addition to his wife, who described him as "my great love and my best friend for 20 years," he leaves behind three children.