German Olympic Star Laura Dahlmeier Dies While Climbing a Mountain
- Nejla Kılınç
- Aug 1
- 2 min read
Laura Dahlmeier, the 31-year-old biathlete who won two Olympic gold medals, died after being struck by a falling rock during an expedition in Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains.
Her climbing partner, Marina Eva, called emergency services after the accident, which occurred at an altitude of approximately 5,700 meters.
Rescue teams composed of expert climbers from Germany and the United States immediately began operations, but search efforts were hampered by adverse weather conditions.
Dahlmeier’s management company stated that it was likely the athlete had died on the day of the accident, July 28.
A statement made during the rescue operation initiated on the evening of July 29 was also grim:
"Due to rockfalls on Laila Peak and unstable weather conditions, the recovery of the body carries high risks and cannot be achieved."
A heartbreaking statement was posted on Dahlmeier's Instagram account:
"Laura’s clear and written wish was that no one should risk their life trying to rescue her in such a situation. In this case, her desire was for her body to be left on the mountain."
Laura enriched the lives of many with her warm and sincere nature.
"She showed us the value of standing up for our dreams and goals, and of always staying true to ourselves."
The German Olympic Sports Confederation noted that Dahlmeier was "not only an Olympic champion but also someone with heart, character, and vision," while German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the following about Laura Dahlmeier:
"An ambassador of our country to the world and a role model for peaceful, joyful, and fair coexistence beyond borders."
The experienced mountaineer Dahlmeier represented Germany in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, winning two gold medals and one bronze.
At the same Games, she became the first woman to win both the sprint and pursuit events, and before retiring from competitions in May 2019, she had earned a total of 15 World Championship medals—seven of them gold.
Source: BBC News
