Olympic luger Nodar Kumaritashvili killed in crash

Just hours before the opening ceremonies for 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed in a fatal crash. He was 21- years-old.

Kumaritashvili was practicing on the Olympic luge track when he was ejected from his sled. He was reportedly going at a speed of 80 miles per hour. According to the Seattle Times, “flew completely off the track at a high rate of speed. He immediately smashed off of metal poles adjacent to the track.”

Nodar Kumaritashvili was taken from the scene in a stretcher, but died shortly afterwards.

This is an extremely tragic and heartbreaking incident. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.