Those of us have played sports understand why he went down the track. When you are a member of a team, you grow to love your teammates, and you are willing to do your best for them. He had trained long and hard for his event, he was selected to for his country's team, so he did what he had to do. His commitment went from doing his personal best to doing his best for his teammates. Add to that he comes from a very small, very poor country. His country and his Olympic committee supported him with a number of costly resources, and so he wanted to do his best for the committee that selected him. Then add to that his commitment to doing his best for his country. It's not difficult to understand why he did what he did despite his fear. I honor that kind of man who makes that kind of commitment, then follows through.
Well put, righttackle. This was not some idiot who travelled out to the middle of nowhere to climb a mountain with the possibility of placing others (aka, rescuers) at risk. A track (luge, auto racing, etc.) *should be* a controlled environment. Thanks to people such as Jackie Stewart, auto racing is *much* safer today for drivers and spectators compared to past years (1955 Le Mans disaster comes to mind).
Anyway, who the hell places beams/pillars just off the side of the track?! This reminds me of the death of Princess Diana; there should be a smooth wall there (or as others have said, a (clear) tube)! I don't have a degree in physics or engineering, but apparently I can be more intelligent/sensible/logical than the dolts who engineered said track/tunnel!