German double Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has passed away at the age of 31.
An experienced and certified mountaineer, the seven-time world champion was on a trip in the Karakoram mountains in Pakistan when she was caught in a rockfall around noon on 28 July at an altitude of approximately 5,700 metres, according to her management company.
Her mountaineering partner immediately alerted rescue services, and an international team was dispatched to the area. However, as the accident took place in a remote area, a helicopter did not reach the site until the morning of 29 July.
Her passing was confirmed on Wednesday, 30 July.
“Laura Dahlmeier died on 28 July in a mountain accident on Laila Peak (6,069 metres) in Pakistan’s Karakoram range,” her representatives said.
“A recovery operation was launched but ultimately called off on the evening of 29 July.”
Her family shared a heartfelt message after the tragic news was confirmed: “We say farewell to a wonderful human being. With her warm and sincere nature, Laura enriched our lives and the lives of many others. She showed us that it’s worth standing up for one’s dreams and goals, while always staying true to oneself.”
Tributes poured in from all over the world. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier extended his condolences to Dahlmeier’s parents, calling the athlete “an exceptional sportswoman”.
With her two gold medals at PyeongChang 2018, Dahlmeier became the first female biathlete in history to win sprint and pursuit events at the same Olympic Games.
She also picked up a bronze in the individual at those Games, despite missing the beginning of the season due to illness.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry paid tribute to Dahlmeier, saying, “The news about the passing of two-time Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier in a terrible mountaineering accident is deeply shocking for all of us in the Olympic Movement. She lost her life in her beloved mountains.
“Laura made history at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics as the first female biathlete to win sprint and pursuit gold at the same Games edition. She will be remembered forever. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time.”
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) published a statement on its website: “Laura was one of the greatest athletes to grace biathlon and her loss is felt deeply by everyone in biathlon, the wider German sport family and beyond. The IBU’s thoughts are with Laura’s family and friends during this very difficult time.”
A fellow German biathlon great, two-time Olympic champion Magdalena Neuner, shared a joint photo with Dahlmeier on her social media, while triple Olympic champion in luge Felix Loch wrote a heartfelt tribute to the late athlete who represented Team Germany alongside him at two Olympic Games.
“Laura, you are and will remain not only one of the most successful biathletes of all time, but above all a true role model – for us athletes and for the entire winter sports community,” Loch wrote on his Instagram. “I remember the time at the Olympics – the encounters at the German House, the conversations away from the competitions, the shared joy, and also the quiet moments. You were always genuine, modest, warm-hearted, and fully engaged.
“Thank you, Laura, for your journey, your example, and the mark you have left behind – in the snow and in our hearts. Rest in peace!”
A Garmisch-Partenkirchen native, Dahlmeier made her IBU World Cup debut during the 2012-13 season, aged 19, and was selected for the German team at Sochi 2014. There, her best result was 13th place in the individual.
She won her first World Cup race a year later and became the world No.1 after a superb 2016-17 season, where she also won the overall World Cup.
While Dahlmeier was already well on the radar after Sochi 2014, her big breakthrough came at the 2017 Biathlon World Championships in Hochfilzen, Austria. She won five gold medals across the six events she competed in – in the pursuit, individual, mass start, women’s relay and mixed relay – and also picked up a silver in the sprint.
Dahlmeier announced her retirement from competitive biathlon in May 2019 at the age of 25 and dedicated herself to her passion for mountaineering.
She scaled the Great Trango Tower (6,287m) on 8 July and was aiming to reach the summit of the Laila Peak next.
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