Sports are mourning the death of Jackson James Rice at the age of 18. His father Darren Rice confirmed to the ‘Matangi Tonga’ newspaper the death of his son, who would have been the first Caucasian to represent Tonga at the Olympic Games, specifically in kitefoiling.
His death occurred on Saturday in Faleloa, on the island of Ha’apai, in the Tonga archipelago. The young man was freedive from a boat when he lost consciousness in shallow water, ‘Matangi Tonga’ reported. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Rice was born in the United States to British parents, but grew up in Ha’apai, where her parents ran a tourist lodge. He finished eighth at the Sail Sydney event in December to earn his Olympic berth.
Kitefoiling will become an Olympic sport for the first time in Paris. Recently, Rice has been training and competing in Europe.
Kitefoilers compete on boards that rise above the water and can reach speeds of more than 50 km/h.
Source: La Verdad
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