Tragic end to a biathlon icon: Laura Dahlmeier dies in a mountain accident

Tragic end to a biathlon icon: Laura Dahlmeier dies in a mountain accident

The biathlon world mourns the loss of one of its greatest icons: Laura Dahlmeier. The athlete, who was only 31 at the time, tragically died in a mountain accident in the Karakoram Mountains in July 2025 when she was hit by a rockfall while climbing Laila Peak. Her management confirmed the death a few days after the accident, sending a sad message to the world of winter sports.

Laura Dahlmeier was born on August 22, 1993 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Her parents were successful mountain bike riders in the 1990s, which certainly gave her a boost for her love of the sport. She started biathlon at the age of seven, having previously tried alpine skiing. But it was the combination of running and shooting that fascinated her. She made her World Cup debut in 2013 and from then on her career really took off.

Brilliant career and impressive achievements

During the years of her active career, Laura was able to celebrate numerous successes. She won three gold medals at the Junior World Championships in 2013 and was awarded silver in the relay at her first Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014. Her achievements at the Biathlon World Championships were particularly outstanding: in 2016 she won five medals in five races in Oslo, including gold in the pursuit. A year later in Hochfilzen she even celebrated gold five times.

In 2018 in Pyeongchang, she made history by becoming the first woman to win a gold and bronze medal in both the sprint and pursuit at a single Olympics. Her career highlight was the overall victory in the 2016/17 World Cup, an achievement that helped her win the title of “Sportswoman of the Year” in Germany.

A look back and a farewell

But in 2019, at just 25 years old, she surprisingly announced the end of her career. She explained that she no longer felt the necessary passion for professional sport and had achieved her goals in biathlon. A difficult year followed in 2022, when she suffered a personal setback with the death of her ex-boyfriend Robert Grasegger in an avalanche accident.

After her active career, she remained loyal to biathlon, worked as a TV expert and was involved in various projects, including authoring a children's book about climate change. She also showed great interest in mountain guiding and environmental projects in the Bavarian Alps.

Legacy of a legend

Laura Dahlmeier will not only be remembered for her sporting successes. Her life motto was characterized by courage, resilience and an unshakable will. She was honored as Person of the Month for July 2025 by the European Olympic Association (EOA), reflecting her values ​​in sport and beyond. Her career was not only a story of medals and trophies, but also of an impressive personality that inspired others.

Biathlon combines tradition with excitement. After all, this sport, which combines cross-country skiing and shooting, has only been an integral part of the Winter Olympics since 1960. The last competitions showed that the fascination of biathlon remains unbroken. Looking to the future, the next generation of athletes will compete for medals in Milano Cortina in February 2026, while the memory of Laura Dahlmeier continues to live in the hearts of her fans.