arghton 6,114 Posted February 26, 2021 1956 Women's cross country skiing gold medalist Siiri "Äitee" Rantanen got her leg amputated a while ago. She's 96 and is looking much frailer than a year ago. There is a picture from the hospital in this article: https://www.is.fi/maastohiihto/art-2000007733531.html 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Whitehouse 820 Posted March 5, 2021 Dutch Paralympic snowboarder Bibian Mentel has been told to prepare her next of kin to say goodbye.... Years ago she almost qualified for the Olympics in Salt Lake City but cancer was found in one of her legs and had to be amputated. Four months later she was back on a snowboard. She was hit with cancer an astonishing 15 times but nevertheless won three gold medals on the paralympics. She a truly inspiring woman who was dealt a very bad hand of cards. Now the cancer is back again and doctors have said there was nothing they could do this time.... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 10,210 Posted March 5, 2021 5 minutes ago, Whitehouse said: Dutch Paralympic snowboarder Bibian Mentel has been told to prepare her next of kin to say goodbye.... Years ago she almost qualified for the Olympics in Salt Lake City but cancer was found in one of her legs and had to be amputated. Four months later she was back on a snowboard. She was hit with cancer an astonishing 15 times but nevertheless won three gold medals on the paralympics. She a truly inspiring woman who was dealt a very bad hand of cards. Now the cancer is back again and doctors have said there was nothing they could do this time.... Picked in the DDP before - but not this time. So a bit of a miss for me, and Banana. She seemed okay until very recently. It was one of those cancer battles with a lot of ups and downs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,011 Posted March 6, 2021 10 hours ago, gcreptile said: 10 hours ago, Whitehouse said: Dutch Paralympic snowboarder Bibian Mentel has been told to prepare her next of kin to say goodbye.... She seemed okay until very recently. It was one of those cancer battles with a lot of ups and downs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
time 7,933 Posted March 24, 2021 French Olympic snowboarder (2002,2006) Julia Pomagalski has died in an avalanche aged 40; a guide Bruno Cutelli, was also killed. In addition to her Olympic participation she also won gold in the snowboard cross in the world championships in 1999. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoorSlammer 421 Posted March 29, 2021 On 05/03/2021 at 19:03, Whitehouse said: Dutch Paralympic snowboarder Bibian Mentel has been told to prepare her next of kin to say goodbye.... Years ago she almost qualified for the Olympics in Salt Lake City but cancer was found in one of her legs and had to be amputated. Four months later she was back on a snowboard. She was hit with cancer an astonishing 15 times but nevertheless won three gold medals on the paralympics. She a truly inspiring woman who was dealt a very bad hand of cards. Now the cancer is back again and doctors have said there was nothing they could do this time.... Dead. (in Dutch) 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Salmon Mousse 465 Posted March 29, 2021 16 minutes ago, DoorSlammer said: Dead. (in Dutch) Completely gave up on her absolutely everywhere this year.... man is that coming back to haunt me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 10,210 Posted March 29, 2021 Indeed, unpicked in the DDP. Last year, Banana and me had her in the DDP (C-team though only, because I'm not sure about the QO (oh, the irony)) She seemed to do okay... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 10,210 Posted March 29, 2021 BBC obit if needed: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-sports/56572432 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alt obits guy 3,090 Posted April 4, 2021 Roland Thoni, a 1972 bronze medalist for Italy in the slalom event, has died. He was 70. https://www.sportnews.bz/artikel/wintersport/ski-alpin/ex-skirennlaeufer-roland-thoeni-gestorben (German language obit) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,114 Posted June 9, 2021 On 26/02/2021 at 13:09, arghton said: 1956 Women's cross country skiing gold medalist Siiri "Äitee" Rantanen got her leg amputated a while ago. She's 96 and is looking much frailer than a year ago. There is a picture from the hospital in this article: https://www.is.fi/maastohiihto/art-2000007733531.html Has recovered pretty well and says that she'll try to keep on "until atleast 100" Picture from a few months ago: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungWillz 18,926 Posted July 4, 2021 33 minutes ago, YoungWillz said: British Olympic Champion in figure skating in 1952, Jeannette Altwegg, death notice: https://berneroberlaender.sich-erinnern.ch/traueranzeige/jeannette-wirz-altwegg DDP Pick. Another gold medallist not picked for the Scavvy Hunt. Edit: Of course not, it's Winter Olympics! DOH!!! I'm all over the place today. Erroneously posted in the Summer Olympics thread, death of Jeannette Altwegg cross posted here. It's Sunday, I'm tired, blah de blah de blah.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,114 Posted July 9, 2021 After the death of Pentti Isotalo there are four members of Finland's 1952 ice hockey team alive: Lauri Silvan, Yrjö Hakala, Pekka Myllylä (all three born 1932) and Eero Saari (b. 1928) Living Ice Hockey Medalists in the 1952 winter olympics: Bruce Dickson (b. 1931) is the only living member of Canada's winning 1952 team. Arnold Oss (b. 1928) and Rube Bjorkman (b. 1929) are the living members of USA's silver team. Hans Andersson-Tvilling (b. 1928) and Lars Björn (b. 1931) are the living ones from Sweden's bronze team Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,114 Posted July 23, 2021 On 04/02/2019 at 09:54, alt obits guy said: Matti Nykanen, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a ski jumping legend, has died. He was 55. Nykanen was an Olympic champion for Finland in 1984 and 1988. https://newsbeezer.com/swedeneng/matti-nykanen-dead-the-finnish-legend-was-55-years-old/ Well, now Tuomo Ylipulli, another member of Finland's 1988 Calgary gold-winning Large Hill Team is dead, aged 56 from a "sudden bout of illness"... Left are Ari-Pekka Nikkola (b. 1969) and Jari Puikkonen (b. 1959). All the other members of other Large Hill Teams of Calgary are still alive, I think. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,114 Posted September 1, 2021 On 23/07/2021 at 20:08, arghton said: Well, now Tuomo Ylipulli, another member of Finland's 1988 Calgary gold-winning Large Hill Team is dead, aged 56 from a "sudden bout of illness"... Left are Ari-Pekka Nikkola (b. 1969) and Jari Puikkonen (b. 1959). All the other members of other Large Hill Teams of Calgary are still alive, I think. There's been some news on how Ylipulli died. Apparently he was living in an old house with no water, had an alcohol problem and multiple diseases. Death cause was a heart attack. Survived by two brothers, parents and family Was found around two or three days after his death. Another untimely death of a person somehow related to Nykänen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungWillz 18,926 Posted October 23, 2021 Vyacheslav Vedenin, cross-country skier who represented the Soviet Union at the 1968 and 1972 Winter Games, at the latter being flag bearer and winning golds in the 30km and the 4x10km relay, dead aged 80: https://www-sportsdaily-ru.translate.goog/news/skonchalsya-dvukratnyy-olimpiyskiy-chempion-vyacheslav-vedenin?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=nui,sc Order of Lenin? Didn't mind if he did. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungWillz 18,926 Posted December 19, 2021 Adam Rosen, American born but Team GB competitor in the luge in 2006, 2010 and 2018, reported dead from cancer aged just 37: 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ulitzer95 10,919 Posted December 20, 2021 11 hours ago, YoungWillz said: Adam Rosen, American born but Team GB competitor in the luge in 2006, 2010 and 2018, reported dead from cancer aged just 37: *snip* BBC Sport obit for Adam Rosen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thatcher 2,123 Posted December 20, 2021 Not a Winter Olympian but thought this was still the most appropriate thread - Reinier Paping, Dutch speed skater and winner of Elfstedentocht 1963, has died aged 90. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,114 Posted December 29, 2021 On 26/02/2021 at 13:09, arghton said: 1956 Women's cross country skiing gold medalist Siiri "Äitee" Rantanen got her leg amputated a while ago. She's 96 and is looking much frailer than a year ago. There is a picture from the hospital in this article: https://www.is.fi/maastohiihto/art-2000007733531.html Recent picture of oldest living winter olympic gold medalist Siiri Rantanen from twitter. Celebrated her 97th birthday a while ago 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,114 Posted February 4, 2022 Yelena Välbe apparently couldn't attend the start of the 2022 Beijing Olympics due to extremely high blood pressure (210) that the doctors can't control: https://www.championat.com/skiing/news-4597347-vrachi-otlozhili-vylet-eleny-vyalbe-na-olimpiadu-2022-v-pekin.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,011 Posted February 6, 2022 On 12/02/2010 at 14:39, Garn2 said: Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili has been seriously injured after a crash in training. Edit: He has now died. Saba Kumaritashvili says he was inspired to race in the luge at the Beijing Olympics by the death of his cousino in the same sport at the 2010 Winter Games. Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed when his luge sledge flew off the track while training at the Vancouver Games just hours before the opening ceremony. Saba Kumaritashvili is 21, the same age Nodar was when he died. SC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyfiona 2,028 Posted February 6, 2022 The snow has died from Winter Olympics so they have brought in fake snow. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 9,983 Posted February 6, 2022 11 hours ago, Sir Creep said: Saba Kumaritashvili says he was inspired to race in the luge at the Beijing Olympics by the death of his cousino in the same sport at the 2010 Winter Games. Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed when his luge sledge flew off the track while training at the Vancouver Games just hours before the opening ceremony. Saba Kumaritashvili is 21, the same age Nodar was when he died. SC Awesome, can someone call up the family tree so we can nail a pick for Milan in four years time? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,114 Posted February 7, 2022 On 29/12/2021 at 16:15, arghton said: Recent picture of oldest living winter olympic gold medalist Siiri Rantanen from twitter. Celebrated her 97th birthday a while ago https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/mtv-tapasi-siiri-aitee-rantasen-olympialaisia-kotikatsomossa-odottava-terasrouva-kertoo-kuulumisistaan-iivoon-mina-uskon/8347106 Rantanen gave a rare video interview a couple of days ago, not sure if the video/site is region locked. Seems like she's declined mentally a bit during the last years but can still talk properly and despite the amputation she is still in good condition physically. That picture I posted in December was probably an older one, atleast looks like it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
