Laura Dahlmeier (22 August 1993 – 28 July 2025), who died aged 31 on Laila Peak in Hushe Valley, Pakistan, was one of the most decorated athletes in the history of biathlon in Germany. Yet it was what happened afterwards that made her beloved far beyond sports.

Dahlmeier and her rope partner, Marina Eva Krauss, were climbing the highly technical Laila Peak (6096 m) when tragedy struck on 28 July around 5700 masl. A rockfall swept the route they were on, leaving her no chance of survival. Poor weather made rescue attempts dangerous; her management later confirmed that Dahlmeier had long expressed the wish that no one should risk their life to recover her body in such circumstances.

From the Olympics to the high mountains in the world, Dahlmeier’s career in sports left a lasting imprint. Born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, in 1993, Laura was the daughter of a sporting family and displayed athletic ability from a young age. Biathlon soon became her focus, and her breakthrough came at the 2013 Biathlon Junior World Championships in Obertilliach, Austria, where she won three gold medals and a silver, lifting her into the senior ranks.

Many athletes of Dahlmeier’s generation were inspired by the legends of biathlon, but Laura walked her path with a bundle of good vibes and energy. After overcoming injury at the start of the 2014–15 season, she took her first World Cup victory at Nové Město na Moravě in February 2015 and soon added more podiums. Her collection of World Championship medals grew steadily, showing an extraordinary performance at the 2017 World Championships in Hochfilzen, Austria. There, she won five golds and a silver, becoming the first woman in biathlon history to win five World Championship titles in a single year—and won the overall World Cup title.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Dahlmeier reached the top of her sporting life. She became the first woman ever to win both the sprint and pursuit events at the same Olympics, also claiming a bronze in the individual. By the time she retired in May 2019 at the age of just 25, she had amassed two Olympic golds, one Olympic bronze, seven World Championship gold medals, three silvers, five bronzes, one overall World Cup title, and two discipline World Cup titles, one of the most impressive records in the history of the sport.

Dahlmeier’s reputation for physical stamina and mental strength was only enhanced after retirement when she turned her attention to mountain running and mountaineering. She won the 39-kilometre Basetrail XL race of the Zugspitz Ultratrail in June 2019 and broke the women’s course record at the 52-kilometre Karwendelmarsch later that year. She also represented Germany at the 2019 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Argentina.

Her greatest mountaineering feat was arguably her speed ascent of Ama Dablam in Nepal, where she set the record for fastest known time for women. Climbing solo and unsupported from base camp to the 6,812-metre summit in 8 hours and 24 minutes, and completing the round trip in 12 hours and 1 minute, last year in autumn 2024. Dahlmeier achieved a rare combination of athletic precision and mountain instinct. “I longed for that feeling of pure freedom – light, fast, focused – and so I set out alone, straight from base camp to the summit and back in one go,” she said afterward.

Understandably, such famous stories of achievement sometimes overshadow the complexities of a woman who valued the natural world deeply. Dahlmeier was an advocate for environmental stewardship, using her platform to inspire young people, particularly girls, to engage with nature and sport. She co-authored a children’s book, Die Klima Gang: Laura Dahlmeier und Freunde im Einsatz für die Natur. Also in October 2019, and worked as a commentator for ZDF during the 2019–20 Biathlon World Cup season. Later in 2023, she published her autobiography titled Wenn ich was mach, mach ich’s gscheid.

Always generous with her time, Dahlmeier remained grounded despite her fame. She enjoyed the quiet moments at home in Bavaria as much as her time on the world stage. Friends and colleagues remember her for her friendly behavior and deep respect for the mountains.

The accident on Laila Peak came with a sudden end to her life that was full of adventure. Dahlmeier is survived by her family, countless friends, and a generation of athletes who will remember not only her record-breaking achievements but also her humanity.