Off The Record
Tragically, An 18-Year-Old Olympic Hopeful Dies Before The Games
Even though J.J. Rice was only eighteen, he was already set to compete for Tonga in just a few weeks.
J.J., an American-born athlete, was supposed to compete for Tonga in the kitefoiler division in the Olympics in Paris this summer.
Regretfully, J.J.’s father has verified that he died on June 15th in a diving accident.
According to NBC News, J.J.’s father disclosed that the teenager was reportedly experiencing a “shallow water blackout” while free diving from a boat near Faleloa.
The people with J.J. tried and failed to resuscitate the diver.
Kitefoiling is officially recognized as an Olympic sport for the first time this year.
In a variation of kiteboarding known as kite foilboarding, the rider is pushed by a kite while the board floats above the water rather than gliding on it.
“I was blessed with the most amazing brother in the whole world and it pains me to say that he’s passed away,” J.J.’s sister Lily posted on Facebook.
“He was an amazing kitefoiler and he would have made it to the Olympics and come out with a big shiny medal. He made so many amazing friends all over the world.”
She went on to claim that her brother excelled in whatever he attempted. “I don’t even know what to say; I don’t know what to do or what to think. I miss J.J. beyond belief. I’m in shock, I still cant believe it and it will take all of us who loved J.J. so long to feel ok again. J.J. was the most amazing, funny, unique person I’ve ever known and I’m going to miss everything about him he was so talented and was amazing at everything he tried.”
J.J. was born to British parents in the United States. According to NBC, the family “operates a tourist lodge” in Ha’apai, where they were raised.
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