Alpine athlete and former biathlete Laura Dahlmeier has died. The 31-year-old German died in a rockfall while climbing Laila Peak in Pakistan’s Karakorum Mountains. The news was confirmed by her management on Dahlmeier’s Instagram channel.
Dahlmeier was a two-time Olympic champion and seven-time world champion in biathlon. After retiring, she not only worked as a TV expert for biathlon but also studied sports and became a state-certified mountain guide. As an alpinist, she was sponsored by Petzl, Adidas Terrex, Osprey, Scott Bikes, Scarpa, Leki, Fischer Ski and Garmin, among others. At the end of 2024, she caused a sensation with her ascent of the Himalayan peak Ama Dablam in Nepal, setting a speed record.
Dahlmeier ended her career at only 25
She filmed United by Summits with the famous climbers Thomas and Alexander Huber. In the film, the three climb Mont Blanc via an exceptionally difficult route on the Brouillard Pfeiller. Thomas Huber was also involved in the unsuccessful rescue attempt for Dahlmeier on Laila Peak.
Dahlmeier’s management announced that she had expressly requested that her body be left on the mountain if a rescue team would be put in danger. “This is also in line with the wishes of her relatives, who have expressly asked that Laura’s last wish be respected,” they said.
There is a great deal of sympathy for her death in the (German) sports world, because Dahlmeier was not only a great athlete, but also an impressive personality who went her own way, giving smart, frank interviews as a biathlete and deciding to retire at the age of only 25. Dahlmeier had her life motto, a Bavarian saying, engraved on her biathlon rifle: “Scheiß dir nix, dann feid dir nix,” which could be translated as “Don’t give a shit and you won’t miss anything.”
Dahlmeier will be dearly missed by her relatives and the huge sports community.
