Five years since tragic death of Georgian Olympic luger
Tweet 
Share
Five years have passed since the tragic death of Georgian Olympic luger Nodar Kumaritashvili at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.
The then 22-year-old lost control at high speed during his final training run and crashed into a steel pole. The crash happened several hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympic competition.
Georgia’s Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs released a special statement today in honour of Kumaritashvili and his service to his country.
"Nodar Kumaritashvili was a hard-working, talented, purposeful, educated young man. His enormous love for sports and his professionalism gave him the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games,” said the Ministry.
"The tragedy in Vancouver shook the entire world. Solidarity and deepest condolences were expressed by the International Olympic Committee and the sports community towards his family and the whole of Georgia.”
The Ministry said Georgia and the international Olympic movement would always be unanimous in honouring the name of the young athlete.
Read our article 'Nodar Kumaritashvili, Georgian luger that changed this sport forever.'
See our photo essay describing Kumaritashvili’s family and hometown years after his death 'In Pictures.'
Today is the 26th birthday of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Georgian Olympic luger who died in a tragic accident at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has paid tribute to a Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili who died in a tragic accident, at the opening of an exhibition honouring Georgian athletes.
The Georgian luger who died in a tragic accident at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics has been honoured at the Sochi Olympic competition.
The Georgian luger who died in a tragic accident at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games will be honoured at the Sochi Olympic competition.
For the first time in the history of Bakuriani, its Didveli ski resort will be illuminated to allow night skiing.
Georgia’s efforts to make the country’s ski resorts Gudauri and Bakuriani popular tourist spots appears to be paying off – the number of visitors to the two winter wonderlands is at an all-time high.
Georgia’s winter resorts are extending their ski season through to mid-spring, delighting skiers and snowboarders alike.
Georgia is saddened after the death of a 28-year-old Georgian snowboarder who was to participate in the upcoming Winter Olympics. Nugzar Diakonashvili, award-winning snowboarder died after he was hit by a small-sized avalanche in one of Georgia’s winter resorts Bakuriani yesterday.
Georgian luger Lasha Peradze - who yesterday competed injured with damaged cartilage between his ribs - took painkillers before approaching the track but gained 11th place and became the youngest athlete to make it into the top 15 of the Men’s Single event.
A memorial bench has been unveiled in Vancouver’s Stanley Park to honour the memory of Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died in a tragic incident at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.