Tunisian Olympic sailor Eya Guezguez, 17, dies in training

Eya Guezguez, 17-year-old Tunisian sailor. International Olympic Committee

Tunisian Olympic sailor Eya Guezguez died at the age of 17 while training with her country's national team, when the boat in which she was sailing with her twin sister Sarra capsized.

According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), strong winds caused the boat to capsize.

Eya died in the accident, while her sister survived.

Both competed at the Tokyo 2020 Games, when they were only 16 years old, in the 49er FX class, in which they finished in 21st position.

Eya and Sarra were the youngest participants in the sailing competition at the Games held last summer.

They were classified thanks to the intercontinental place (the one that is assigned once the computation of those who access by Olympic ranking or world championships is finished) and the Games were the first important regatta they did.

A specialist of the 49erFX class, who prefers to remain anonymous, tells it like this: “I think they went to the Games to live the Olympic experience because they did not have a high level or knew much about the class, they have just started, they are very young.

The windy days in Tokyo could not even sail because they were not able to finish the regatta.

The 49er FX is a class that is technically demanding.”

So much so that when you start, according to this specialist, the first 12-15 months "what you do is try to keep the stick up."

The 49er FX -modality that debuted at the Rio 2026 Games- is a very, very fast boat of 4,995 meters in length and 94 kilos in weight in which the two sailors have to synchronize in such a way to move from one side to the other that they have to navigate as one.

Berta Betanzos, who was fourth in the Rio Games in 2016 along with Tamara Echegoyen, told this newspaper that what it feels like to sail is pure adrenaline.

"This boat is amazing, it's like staying with your colleagues to surf, it's the same adrenaline."

The boat, indeed, is the closest thing to a surfboard with a sail and with the wind it picks up tremendous speed.

It is a modality that requires technique and experience and in which rapport is essential.

In fact, in the case of Spain, when Berta Betanzos retired after Rio2026 and Tamara Echegoyen had to find a new boatmate, the selection process not only measured technical and physical aspects, but also psychological ones.

Getting along and getting along is essential.

The International Olympic Committee, which reported the accident, did not provide details.

In the world what sailors know is what they have read in the media.

The only thing they can say is that it was very windy.

A specialist in this modality with whom this newspaper has been in contact assures that in the 49er FX capsizing is usual.

“Because of the maneuvers and the speed at which you go.

Capsizing in this type of boat, especially in strong winds, is normal.

The more technique you have, the fewer times it happens, but then as it is technically so difficult, the slightest mistake can make you capsize”.

And she adds: “I myself have done a lot of damage capsizing because in the end we are hanging from the cable: from the one that brakes the boat, with the same speed you come out, with the problem that you are hooked to the cable and when it is there it doesn't matter, you come back and you can hit yourself.

The bumps are normal.

This is a boat that creates impact injuries and capsizing is a normal and essential part, especially early on.

When you get more rolling, you capsize less and even so, all the 49er FX athletes know that on windy days the capsize can fall and in fact we train to capsize quickly and continue”.

He insists that capsizing is something that happens many times because the 49er FX is a very fast boat (18-20 knots can be reached and exceeded).

“This boat the easiest way to take it is when you are going one hundred percent speed because it is easier to maneuver it with the wind.

She is the fastest class of sail.

You can't slow down like you can for example with foiling boats.

There if you can decide not to foil and slow down because you want to get there even if it's 15th and you decide to insure”.

He emphasizes that sailing is a risky sport.

“In windy situations, experience is a degree;

overturn we all overturn, a thousand times even in training.

Sometimes you have bad luck...

The president of the IOC, the German Thomas Bach, declared himself "shocked" by Guezguez's death, "an inspiring talent and a role model for his generation of athletes."

“The participation of Eya Guezguez in Tokyo 2020 together with her twin sister Sarra de ella will continue to motivate girls around the world.

Our thoughts are with her family, her friends and the Tunisian Olympic community,” added Bach.

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