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18-year-old J.J. Rice, a United States-born kitefoiler who was to represent Tonga at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has died in a diving accident.
“Jackson James Rice was set to become the first Caucasian to represent Tonga at an Olympic Games,” the Associated Press stated.
His death occurred at Faleloa, on the island of Ha’apai in the Tonga archipelago.
United States-born kitefoiler J.J. Rice, who was to represent Tonga at the Paris Olympics, has died in a diving accident. He was 18. https://t.co/veOnvCaRkS
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 17, 2024
: https://t.co/FpjAvTSQOz
Kitefoiler J.J. Rice—an aspiring Olympic athlete for the nation of Tonga—has passed away in a free diving accident. (: Facebook) pic.twitter.com/6dnO4aVRbz
— E! News (@enews) June 17, 2024
From the Associated Press:
He was free diving from a boat when he suffered a suspected shallow water blackout, Matangi Tonga reported. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
“I was blessed with the most amazing brother in the whole world and it pains me to say that he’s passed away,” Rice’s sister Lily said in a Facebook post. “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.”
Rice was born in the United States to British-born parents but grew up on Ha’apai where his parents operate a tourist lodge. He finished eighth at the Sail Sydney event in December to earn his Olympic place. Kitefoiling will be an Olympic sport for the first time in Paris.
Tonga Olympian kitefoiler J.J. Rice dies in diving accident at age 18.https://t.co/E5ZyKbdGUo pic.twitter.com/T4ajNOxW0B
— Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) June 17, 2024
United States-born kitefoiler J.J. Rice, who was set to represent Tonga at the Paris Olympics, died in a diving accident. He was 18.
— WJZ | CBS Baltimore (@wjz) June 17, 2024
Per CBS News:
In an Instagram post last month, Rice said he wanted to “say a big thank you to everyone who has supported, mentored, given me a couch to stay on and pushed me to my absolute limit.”
“Thank you firstly to my mum and dad without you guys nothing would be possible,” he wrote.
Rice finished eighth at the Sail Sydney event in December to earn his Olympic place. Kitefoiling will be an Olympic sport for the first time in Paris.
Rice recently had been training and competing in Europe.
Kitefoilers race on boards that are lifted off the water on foils and can reach speeds of more than 30 mph.
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