German Olympic Champion Laura Dahlmeier passes away in mountaineering fall

Laura Dahlmeier, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time world champion in biathlon, has died in a mountaineering accident in Pakistan’s Karakoram Mountains. She was 31 years old.

According to German media reports, Dahlmeier lost her balance and fell from a rock during an expedition. Rescue efforts were hampered by severe weather, and her body could not be recovered.

A passionate mountaineer, Dahlmeier had previously expressed her wish that her body not be retrieved in the event of a fatal accident—an instruction her family has chosen to honour.

Dahlmeier retired from professional sports in 2019 to pursue her passion for climbing. Her sudden death has sent shockwaves through Germany's sporting community, with tributes pouring in from athletes, fans, and national sports officials.