Georgia buries its sledge racer, who crushed to death in Canada

Today, Georgia held the funeral of its sledge (toboggan) racer Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died in an accident in Canada several hours prior to the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympiad in Vancouver.

"It was his seventh serious competition in life. He had duly prepared for it and was in good spirits before his race," said Levan Gurashidze, Nodar's friend and a sledge racer, at the funeral.

Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, found his terminal home in his native village - mountain resort settlement of Bakuriani. Nodar was buried into the yard of local church; this was the decision of his relatives in response to the offer of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili also came to the mourning ceremony; he appeared at the funeral in the jacket of the national Olympic team. 

The street in Bakuriani, in which the perished athlete lived, already bears his name. The TV Channel "Mir" adds that his name will be also given to the sledge-bobsleigh track to be built in Bakuriani by decision of the authorities.

As reported by "Georgia Оnline", today in Vancouver athletes have again decorated the place, where the Georgian sledge racer died with flowers and candles.