The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic GamesAugust 8-24 2008
(BEIJING, July 16) -- Two-time Olympic gold medal flatwater canoeist György Kolonics of Hungary died while training on the Danube River Tuesday morning.
The 36-year-old fell unconscious in his canoe and was unable to be resuscitated, according to the International Canoeing Federation, which released a statement calling it "a sad day for canoeing."
The cause of death was likely heart failure.
Kolonics was a gold medal favorite going into what would have been his fifth Olympic Games this summer in Beijing. Kolonics was set to compete in the C2 500m and 1000m with his partner György Kozmann.
Kolonics won Olympic gold medals in the 1996 Atlanta Games in the 500m canoe doubles with partner Csaba Horváth, and in the 500m singles competition in Sydney in 2000. He also won bronze medals in the 1000m doubles race in 1996, with Horváth, and in 2004 with Kozmann.
Kolonics also held three European titles, and last year won his fifteenth World Championship gold.
