Swedish snowboard star dies in training
Swedish snowboarder Jonatan Johansson died while training in Lake Placid in the USA on Sunday. During the last training run of the day he fell badly and doctors were unable to save his life.
Johansson was the most successful of Sweden's snowboarders in the recent Winter Olympics in Turin, coming in twelfth place. He was in Lake Placid as part of the Swedish World Cup team.
"In the last training run the landing from a jump went badly," said snowboard association director Ulf Nilsson.
"The jump itself went quite well but something made him lean forward, and he fell on the slope with the whole of his body weight forward," Nilsson told Svenska Dagbladet.
The Swedish team captain Anders Wiggerud, along with trainer Lars Bergstedt, were at the scene and administered first aid almost immediately. Nearby doctors also helped but Johansson never regained consciousness.
The exact cause of death had not been established late on Sunday evening. However, Nilsson told SvD that it was simply an accident and that there were no safety problems with the course.
Organisers cancelled the competition. Other members of the team were said to be badly shocked and considering returning immediately to Sweden.
Jonatan Johansson, who came from Sollentuna but lived in Umeå, was 26 years old.
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Johansson was the most successful of Sweden's snowboarders in the recent Winter Olympics in Turin, coming in twelfth place. He was in Lake Placid as part of the Swedish World Cup team.
"In the last training run the landing from a jump went badly," said snowboard association director Ulf Nilsson.
"The jump itself went quite well but something made him lean forward, and he fell on the slope with the whole of his body weight forward," Nilsson told Svenska Dagbladet.
The Swedish team captain Anders Wiggerud, along with trainer Lars Bergstedt, were at the scene and administered first aid almost immediately. Nearby doctors also helped but Johansson never regained consciousness.
The exact cause of death had not been established late on Sunday evening. However, Nilsson told SvD that it was simply an accident and that there were no safety problems with the course.
Organisers cancelled the competition. Other members of the team were said to be badly shocked and considering returning immediately to Sweden.
Jonatan Johansson, who came from Sollentuna but lived in Umeå, was 26 years old.
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