REPORT: Gold Medal Olympian Laura Dahlmeier Dies Tragically At Age 31

Gold medal-winning Olympic biathlete Laura Dahlmeier reportedly died this week at the age of 31 while climbing a mountain in Pakistan.

Dahlmeier was adventuring alongside her climbing partner, Marina Eva, when she was fatally hit by falling rocks Monday at Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range, CNN reported, citing an Instagram statement Tuesday from her management team. Eva sent a distress signal to authorities. However, bad weather and posed a serious challenge to authorities trying to retrieve Dahlmeier’s remains, government spokesman Faizullah Faraq told The Associated Press.

Germany’s gold medallist Laura Dahlmeier poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the biathlon Women’s 7.5km Sprint at the Pyeongchang Medals Plaza during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang on February 11, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO (Photo credit should read JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

Dahlmeier’s team reportedly said a rescue helicopter reached the scene of the accident and located Dahlmeier on Tuesday morning, but it was too late to save her. The Olympian explicitly requested that no one put their lives in danger to rescue her or retrieve her body if an accident took place, according to the statement.

“The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the rescue team, especially the local mountaineers,” her team said in a statement issued Wednesday. “They did everything possible to facilitate the rescue and reach the accident victim.”

(L-R) Norway’s silver medallist Marte Olsbu, Germany’s gold medallist Laura Dahlmeier and Czech Republic’s bronze medallist Veronika Vitkova pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the biathlon Women’s 7.5km Sprint at the Pyeongchang Medals Plaza during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang on February 11, 2018. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

President Thomas Weikert of the German Olympic Sports Confederation issued a statement to CNN Sports. “We are deeply shocked by the sudden and much too early death of this wonderful person. Our thoughts are with her family and friends and we will offer our support wherever we can,” he said.

“Laura was a role model and inspiration to so many of us in and out of sport. She always had clear goals in mind and pursued her dreams,” Weikert said.

Dahlmeier became the first female biathlete to clinch the gold in both the sprint and pursuit events in one Winter Games at the 2018 Winter Olympics. (RELATED: Thousands Of Fans Line The Streets To Honor Ozzy Osbourne In Emotional Farewell)

In 2017, she was the first biathlete to take home five gold medals from one world championship. She retired age 25 in 2019.