“A Pity to Lose People”: Olympic Fans Mourn Death of Richard Thornton as He Passed Away at 65

2024 hasn’t come with a good start for the Olympic community. With just five days in the New Year, the community has lost an ideal Olympian, Richard Thornton. He was a surfing maestro, US Olympian, and Bay Area swim coach. He was the master of several trades and excelled in all his fields. He was a part of the 1980 US Olympic swim team but didn’t compete due to insolvable circumstances.

It is a significant loss for the sports community to witness the sudden death of such an honorable athlete. The unfortunate news surprised all his admirers and the swimming and surfing community. They couldn’t stop themselves from mourning the loss of such a talented soul. 

The life and legacy of Richard Thornton

Richard Thornton was exceptionally talented and has achieved a lot in his lifetime. His brother Marc took to Facebook to announce the death of his Olympic brother Thornton. According to some sources, he died while surfing, while some sources claim that Richard’s family has confirmed that he died while stepping into the water; however, the reason is still unknown. The New York Post also took to its social media to pay tribute to the athlete.

They shared two pictures of Richard Thornton on their X account. One picture was from when he was young and the second one showcased a picture from recent times. The caption to this post carried, “US Olympian Richard Thornton dead at 65 after collapsing on the beach in California”. It is very disheartening news, as he played a major role in his community. 

He gave his share of assistance by coaching for the Olympic games, and world championship finalists, world record holders, and others for achieving their goals. He was a man of great worth and his admirers and loved ones have filled the comment section with their remorse during this miserable occurrence.

The internet puts forward its penitence for the unfortunate loss

Losing an icon is not easy and the surfing and swimming community is going through a rough phase after the loss of Richard Thornton. His well-wishers and Olympic fans after this irreplaceable loss have taken to social media to express their remorse for this situation. One of his fans showcasing regret and questioning the confusion behind the death commented, 

Another admirer expressed their feelings regarding the same by stating, 

Finding it difficult to accept the news, one of his fans stated, 

Not finding the right word to express, another Olympic fan stated, 

Anticipating the reason for this death, one of them stated, 

Read more: 12-Year-Old Surfer Volunteers with ‘Waves of Impact,’ Spreading Joy by Teaching Kids with Special Needs

It is a time of mourning for the swimming and surfing community and an extremely hard time for Richard Thornton’s family. We hope that such an exceptional talent rests in power and our heart goes out to his family. 

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