US-born Tongan athlete who was scheduled to compete in the Paris Olympics has died

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — U.S.-born kitefoiler JJ Rice, who was set to represent Tonga at the Paris Olympics, has died in a diving accident. He was 18 years old.

Rice’s father, Darren Rice, confirmed his son’s death to the Matangi Tonga newspaper on Monday.

Jackson James Rice could have been the first Caucasian to represent Tonga at the Olympic Games. His death occurred on Saturday in Faleloa on the island of Ha’apai in the Tonga archipelago.

He was freediving from a boat when he suffered what is believed to be a blackout in shallow water, Matangi Tonga reported. Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

“I was blessed with the greatest brother in the world and it pains me to say he has passed away,” Rice’s sister Lily said in a Facebook post. “He was an amazing kitefoiler and would have made it to the Olympics and won a big shiny medal. He made so many great friends all over the world.”

Rice was born in the US to British parents but grew up on Ha’apai, where his parents run a tourist accommodation. He finished eighth at the Sail Sydney event in December to secure his Olympic spot. Kitefoiling will be an Olympic discipline for the first time in Paris.

Rice had recently trained and competed in Europe.

Kitefoilers race on boards that are lifted out of the water using wings and can reach speeds of over 50 km/h.

More top stories: The organizers of the Olympic Games in Paris unveil an exhibition of the five Olympic rings at the Eiffel Tower