Sophie Hediger, a Swiss snowboarder who represented the country in the 2022 Winter Olympics, died following an avalanche at a ski resort, officials said Tuesday. She was 26.
The incident occurred Monday at the Arosa resort in Switzerland, the country’s ski federation said in a statement.
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Switzerland’s Sophie Hediger competes during the women’s snowboard cross qualification round at the Winter Olympics, Feb. 9, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)
“We are stunned and in our thoughts with Sophie’s family, to whom we express our deepest condolences,” Swiss-Ski CEO Walter Reusser said in a statement.
“With the tragic death of Sophie Hediger, a dark shadow has been placed over the Christmas days for the Swiss ski family. We are immeasurably sad. We will keep Sophie an honorable memory,” he added.
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Hediger was a participant in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. She competed in snowboard cross and in the mixed team snowboard cross. She failed to qualify for the quarterfinals in the singles event and her team lost in the mixed event in the semifinals.
Hediger bounced back in 2023 when she won a gold medal in the FISU World University Games in Lake Placid, New York. She was one of three Swiss participants who won gold medals.
Charlotte Bankes of Britain, Sophie Hediger of Switzerland and Kristina Paul of the Russian Olympic Committee in action. (Reuters/Lisi Niesner)
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She then achieved two World Cup podium finishes, including a second-place finish in St. Mortiz in January.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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