Laura Dahlmeier
Gold Medal-Winning Olympic Biathlete …
Dead at 31
Published
Laura Dahlmeier — a former biathlete who competed in two Olympics — has died … according to her management team.
Dahlmeier was climbing a mountain in Pakistan when she was struck and killed by falling rocks on Monday. Her climbing partner, Marina Eva, sent a distress signal to authorities, but low visibility and bad weather made it difficult for rescuers to reach the remote area.
When they finally arrived on Tuesday morning, it was too late to help Dahlmeier … whose management team told CNN she specifically requested no one risk their lives to recover her body in the event of an accident.
Her team released a statement … “The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the rescue team, especially the local mountaineers. They did everything possible to facilitate the rescue and reach the accident victim.”
Dahlmeier competed for Germany in the 2014 and 2018 Olympics. She won two gold medals and a bronze medal in South Korea in ’18.
She won multiple golds in world championship competitions over the years before retiring from competition in 2019.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation said in a statement Dahlmeier “leaves behind a legacy that goes far beyond medals: her dedication to sport, her passion for nature and her commitment to society make her an inspiring personality. Her story remains. As a daughter, sister, friend, Olympian and biathlon legend.”
Dahlmeier was 31.
RIP