Nodar Kumaritashvili was born on November 25, 1988 in Borjomi, a town located in South Central Georgia. He started to compete in luge sports at the age of 13. In 2008, he had his very first season of competition, he finished 55th out of 62 at the World Luge Cup, and in 2009 he finished 28th out of 32. His family was a part of the sport as well; his father was a seasoned luger who won the USSR Youth Championship when Georgia was a part of the Soviet Union. He also had a relative who was the President of the Luge Federation. Throughout all of his rigorous training and competition he still enrolled in a college education, he attended Tbilisi University, where he received his bachelor’s in Economics. He was also very involved within his faith; he was a member of the Georgian Orthodox Church. All members of the church gathered upon his departure to pray for his performance and travels to the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
At the time of his death, Nodar Kumaritashvili had an estimated net worth of $4 million
Luge is a tinged sport that requires incredible precision. A luger’s vision is strictly the corners of their eyes, and they use their body’s shock absorbers so when they move, the sled will not turn. On February 12, 2010 when Nodar was preparing for his performance in the Olympics he was practicing the luge at the Whistler Sliding Center. He was going 90mph on a $100 million dollar track which pushed all the speed to the outer limit. He was thrown off his luge and over the side wall of the track, striking a steel pole. He received immediate medical treatment and suffered severe head trauma and passed away hours before the opening ceremonies. The president of the International Olympic Committee stated that his death casted a shadow over the games. Individuals were concerned that the track was openly too dangerous and Nodar told his father that he was terrified of the track. He was only the 4th athlete ever to die during Olympic preparations. And it was luge’s first death since December 10, 1975 when an Italian luger crashed. All other Georgian wore a black stripe on their helmet in honor if Kumaritashvili, and the Georgian Olympic team tied a black ribbon around their flag during open ceremonies.
Nodar truly is posh because he always gave 100% percent to luge through competition and training even while he was pursuing a college degree. That truly takes a dynamic and talent individual. Recently on March 10, 2010, The International Federation of luge announced their donation of 10,000 euros to the Kumaritashvili family in Georgia with an effort to rebuild their family house. His death was in the prayer of thousands of individuals as well as all the Olympians competing in the winter games. He will always be a notable figure in luge.
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