A teenage sports star has sadly died just weeks before making history at the Paris Olympics this summer.
Jackson James Rice was gearing up to represent Tonga at the pinnacle sports event, but sadly died aged just 18 over the weekend.
His father Darren Rice confirmed his son's death to local news outlet, the Matangi Tonga newspaper, saying that he died while free diving from a boat.
Advert
The young athlete, also known as JJ Rice, died on Saturday in Faleloa, on the island of Ha'apai in the Tonga archipelago.
Darren confirmed his son passed away after a suspected blackout while in shallow water, with JJ's body being found on the seafloor beneath the boat at approximately 12:15pm by other divers.
Resuscitation attempts ultimately failed, according to the Matangi Tonga newspaper.
JJ was set to become the first ever Caucasian to represent Tonga at an Olympic Games, as a kite foiler.
Advert
After finishing eighth at the Sail Sydney event in December 2023, he sealed his place on the Olympic squad.
Kite foiling is one of the two new sailing disciplines (along with windsurfing) that will make their Olympic debuts this summer. It involves athletes 'flying' above the water on hydrofoils that are attached to boards, powered by nothing but the wind, using massive kites.
According to the Royal Yachting Association, they can reach speeds up to 51 mph.
Rice was born in the US to British-born parents, but grew up on Ha'apai in Tonga, where his parents run a tourist lodge, as the teenager considers himself Tongan.
He told Matangi Tonga in May: “I’ve lived in Tonga my whole life, I see myself as a Tongan, I don’t see myself as anything else.”
Advert
JJ's father told the newspaper a story where his 15-year-old son at the time put his life in danger to rescue people after their ferry capsized off the nearby island of Foa, a similar area where he died on Saturday.
JJ's sister Lily posted a heartfelt message on Facebook following her brother's death.
“I was blessed with the most amazing brother in the whole world and it pains me to say that he’s passed away,” it read.
She added: “He was an amazing kitefoiler and he would have made it to the Olympics and come out with a big shiny medal. He made so many amazing friends all over the world.”
Advert
Prior to his death, JJ was training and competing in Europe to prepare for the Olympics, and told ABC Pacific earlier this year that he aimed to use a grant to set up a sailing school after his involvement in the Olympics.
“It would be so nice if we could get the young kids sailing in Tonga and hopefully, yeah, push them through to the next Olympics,” he stated.
The 2024 Paris Olympics begins on 26 July and ends on 11 August.
Joshua Nair