J.J. Rice, a young and promising kitefoiler born in the United States and selected to represent Tonga at the upcoming Paris Olympics, tragically passed away in a diving accident at the age of 18. His father, Darren Rice, confirmed the sad news to the Matangi Tonga newspaper.
Jackson James Rice was preparing to make history as the first Caucasian athlete to represent Tonga at the Olympics. His untimely death occurred on Saturday while free diving from a boat near Faleloa, on Ha’apai island in the Tonga archipelago. According to reports, he experienced a suspected shallow water blackout, and despite immediate rescue efforts, he could not be revived.
His sister, Lily Rice, shared her grief in a heartfelt Facebook post, remembering her brother as an incredible individual and athlete. “I was blessed with the most amazing brother in the whole world and it pains me to say that he’s passed away,” she wrote. “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.”
Rice, whose parents are British-born, grew up on Ha’apai, where his parents run a tourist lodge. His impressive performance at the Sail Sydney event in December secured his place in the Olympics, marking the debut of kitefoiling as an Olympic sport. Recently, Rice had been actively training and competing in Europe, demonstrating his skill in races where participants navigate boards lifted by foils at speeds over 50 kilometers per hour (31 miles per hour).
