That's what it's about

• Two-time Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier dies in a rockfall in the Karakoram Mountains.
• The accident occurred on Laila Peak.
• The area is so remote that rescue workers were only able to reach her days after the accident.

On Monday, former German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier had an accident on Laila Peak in Pakistan. The 31-year-old was caught in a rockfall at 5,700 meters above sea level. Now, her worst fears have come true: Laura Dahlmeier did not survive the accident. The double Olympic champion's management confirmed this to the German Press Agency on Wednesday afternoon, Swiss time. According to her management, it is assumed that Dahlmeier had been dead since Monday.

Longer stay in the Kashmir region

A rescue operation on Laila Peak, where Dahlmeier had his accident, is extremely difficult. This is due to the mountain's topography. The political situation in northern Pakistan also makes a rescue operation extremely complicated.

Since the end of June, Laura Dahlmeier had been traveling with friends in the Kashmir region. She had already successfully climbed the Great Trango Tower (6,287 m) on July 8. Laila Peak was the second planned summit goal in the region.

Olympic gold and early retirement

She is the most successful German biathlete of the past decade. Dahlmeier won two Olympic gold medals in Pyeongchang and a total of seven world championship titles. She became particularly famous at the 2017 World Championships in Hochfilzen, where she won five gold medals and one silver medal in six competitions. She also won the overall World Cup in the 2016/17 season.

In May 2019, the Upper Bavarian unexpectedly ended her career as a competitive athlete at the age of 25. At the time, she stated that she no longer had any sporting goals as a biathlete. In addition to her mountaineering and climbing tours, Dahlmeier has also been active as a TV expert for ZDF.

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