US Olympic ski jumper Patrick Gasienica dead at 24 after motorcycle crash
Winter Olympian ski jumper Patrick Gasienica, 24, died after he was involved in a motorcycle accident, officials confirmed Wednesday.
Gasienica was the single occupant of a motorcycle accident Monday night in Bull Valley, Illinois, less than 50 miles northwest of Chicago, McHenry County (Illinois) Coroner Michael Rein said in a statement to Paste BN Sports. Gasienica was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Preliminary findings from an autopsy show the cause of death was blunt force trauma. Toxicology is currently pending. No details on whether Gasienica was involved in an accident with another vehicle were released. The road where the accident took place was closed for more than four hours Monday, according to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
Paste BN Sports has reached out to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office for more information.
Patrick Gasienica's career
The Mchenry, Illinois, native competed for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, placing in 49th in normal hill and 53rd in the large hill. He was also part of the U.S. men’s quartet that placed 10th in his Olympic debut.
Gasienica grew up ski jumping at the Norge Ski Club in Illinois, and he made his FIS Ski Jumping debut in 2015. He represented the U.S. at two FIS Junior World Ski Championships in 2016 and 2017, as well as the 2019 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. He most recently competed in the Continental Cup in Iron Mountain, Michigan in March, finishing in 37th.
"His relentless pursuit of his dreams and passions was truly inspiring, and he demonstrated an unwavering determination to achieve his goals," his obituary reads.
USA Nordic and U.S. Ski and Snowboard announced his death Tuesday.
"USA Nordic Sport’s thoughts and condolences are with his family, friends and the Ski Jumping community," the statement read.
Gasienica is survived by his parents, Wojciech Gasienica and Jolanta Kiwior, as well as his two sisters and grandparents. His funeral will take place in his hometown of McHenry on Friday.
MORE: US Olympian Tori Bowie died from complications of childbirth, autopsy finds