Olympic ski jumper Patrick Gasienica has died at the age of 24.
Police said they attended the scene of a two-vehicle accident involving a motorcycle in Illinois Monday evening, and Gasienica, who was operating the motorcycle, was transported to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital where he was pronounced dead by medical personnel.
Tracy Dickens, chief of police at Bull Valley Police Department, said a preliminary investigation indicates that the motorcycle “lost control and crossed the center lane of traffic.”
Gasienica, who was born in Mchenry, Illinois, represented the USA in his first Olympic Winter Games in Beijing 2022.
He made his International Ski Federation (FIS) Ski Jumping debut in 2015, and went on to represent the United States at FIS Junior World Ski Championships in 2016 and 2017, and the 2019 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Seefeld, USA Nordic said in a statement published by U.S. Ski & Snowboard announcing his death.
“USA Nordic and the Ski Jumping community are saddened to hear about the passing of Patrick Gasienica,” USA Nordic said in a statement on Twitter.
“A 2022 Beijing Winter Olympian, Patrick was an incredible competitor, teammate and friend.”
They added: “He will be dearly missed. Rest in peace, Patrick.”