Tragic accident in Pakistan: A life at the limit: Laura Dahlmeier dies near Slück

Boredom had no place in the life of double Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier. Whether climbing to thousands of meters high peaks, skydiving or motorcycling-the 31-year-old loved life at the limit, nature and the fight against itself. Whenever possible, the former world-class biathlete wanted to experience something. “I like to be on the go, to see new places and face various challenges,” said Dahlmeier.

Dahlmeier now paid for this to freedom with her life. Despite her enormous experience, she tragically died in mountaineering at Laila Peak in the Pakistani Karakorum Mountains. This was announced by her management. The Bavarian was recorded on Monday afternoon at a height of around 5,700 meters by a rockfall.

Nobody could penetrate her because of the ongoing risk of stone. As the family announced, it was Dahlmeier’s “express and written will” to leave the body on the mountain in such a bad case. This has now been done and the rescue operation hired.

When Laura Dahlmeier wanted to feel freedom, she went into the mountains. In no other place she was so much she was herself, felt peace and inner happiness. She was considered an experienced and very risk-conscious mountaineer, was a state-certified mountain and ski guide as well as an active member of the mountain rescue service at home.

Ex-biathlete crashed pull-out massif

“I think it is very important that you seriously worry about it, too much has happened. Of course, if there is a bad accident again and something happens in the immediate vicinity, then you also ask yourself the question: Phew, how do you continue,” said Dahlmeier in ZDF documentation “Laura Dahlmeier and the height”. Her ex-boyfriend (29) died in early January 2022 in an avalanche accident in Patagonia.

Not only since then Dahlmeier knew about the dangers of the risk sport. In August 2014 she crashed into climbing in the Zugspitz massif. A rock scale, a handle, broke out. She tried to refer, but once again found no stop because the next handle broke out, as she wrote in her book “If I do something, I do it.

“I open a few times, fall upside down … I’m completely powerless. A fear unknown to me shoots through my body and I scream.” The safety rope saved her, she suffered a breach of ankle, a ribbon tear in the ankle and several bruises. The mountain rescue brought her. Later she said it would happen, “as if I had experienced almost everything in a very short time”. And she impressively learns the lesson that you are not “immortal”: “If you make a mistake when climbing, you can die.”

Double Olympic champion resigns at the age of 25

A normal work would never have been possible after their glamorous career with victories over victories in the biathlon. She wanted a life according to her own rules. “If I had a 9-to-5 job and would always have to sit in the same office from Monday to Friday, that would be the total” anti-freedom “,” said the Garmisch-Partenkirchner once: “I just feel at home in the mountains.”

This is also why she decided at the age of 25 for an early end of her career. She had won everything, preferred to have a life without constraints and expectation pressure: “I find it totally boring and terrible to be caught inside. The feeling of freedom outside in the mountains is unique!”, Dahlmeier said “Alps-Magazine.de”.

Dahlmeier set records on the mountains

As a child, Dahlmeier was taken to climb and on mountain tours by her father. Later she traveled around the world. The USA, Peru, Iran or Nepal – Dahlmeier was everywhere on very high peaks, set records. No woman has ever been faster on the 6,814 meter high Ama Dablam in Nepal than Dahlmeier. The legendary Eiger north wall also beat her.

A few weeks ago, she first led a group as a mountain guide. Then she wrote on Instagram: “Reisen. Cover. Climbing. Discover the world. Be free … Feel the elements … weigh up risks … reach the summit. Happy … Following dreams … Live.”

Olympic victory and World Cup title – Dahlmeier won everything

“Olympic champion – or hut economist”, Dahlmeier had already held her destinations for the future in a friend book as a seven -year -old. With a lot of ambition and absolute ability to suffer, she fulfilled her sporty dream of the 2018 Olympic victory and became the next German biathlon star in Magdalena Neuner. The 2017 World Cup in Hochfilzen had already become the highlight of her sporting career when she won five gold and silver in six races.

In the same season, Dahlmeier also won the overall World Cup, a year later she shone at her second Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. In the ice cold of South Korea, she stormed into sprint and persecution sensationally into gold, and she also won bronze in singles. In addition, Dahlmeier won 15 World Cup medals, seven of which were golden. In 2019 she was the last time at a world championship before returning in the spring. The endurance miracle won a total of 20 World Cup races.

Dahlmeier: “There is no longing for competitive sports”

Dahlmeier became quite surprising after her career TV expert on ZDF. A permanent job at the German Ski Association was never under question, even if the outstanding and nervous shooter had a coaching license. A comeback in the World Cup was never an issue. “I’m fine, there is no longing for competitive sports,” said Dahlmeier years after the resignation.

Instead, she wrote down her book and completed a course of sports at the Technical University of Munich. She was committed to environmental protection and sustainability, condemned mass tourism on Mount Everest. In 2023 she cycled 500 kilometers at a time, later she ran 100 kilometers at a time. She started at the mountain running World Cup, completed ski touring races.

In all activities, she always remained an absolute family man. Germany’s athlete of 2017 loved her home Garmisch-Partenkirchen, she felt safe with her family. This must now cope with the heavy stroke of fate.

“We say goodbye to a great person. Laura has enriched our lives and the lives of many with her warm and straightforward nature,” said the family to death: “It has spoken to us that it is worthwhile to stand up for her own dreams and goals and always stay true to ourselves. Our common memories give us strength and courage to continue our way.”