Laura Dahlmeier, Olympic Biathlon Champion, Dies at 31
German biathlete and two-time Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier has died at age 31 in a tragic
climbing accident on Laila Peak in Pakistan. Her team confirmed the news in an Instagram post on Monday.
Reports say Dahlmeier was struck by a falling rock while climbing. Her partner, Marina Eva,
sent a distress signal, but bad weather delayed rescue efforts. Teams reached the scene on Tuesday.
Born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1993, Dahlmeier quickly rose through the biathlon ranks, making her World Cup debut in 2013. She had a historic
2016–17 season, winning the overall World Cup title and six medals at the Biathlon World Championships—five gold and one silver.
At the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, she became the first woman to win both the sprint and pursuit events
at a single Games and added a bronze in the 15km individual race.
In 2019, Dahlmeier retired at age 25, saying her passion for competition had faded. She later became
a certified mountain guide, wrote children’s books, and supported mountain rescue teams in Bavaria.
Dahlmeier’s adventurous spirit, athletic legacy, and dedication to the mountains leave a lasting impact both in and beyond sports.
