Italian alpine skier Matilde Lorenzi died aged 19 from injuries suffered in a training accident, the Italian Ministry of Defense confirmed Tuesday.
The rising skiing star suffered a serious crash during a training session on the Grawand G1 slope in Val Senales, South Tyrol, Italy, according to an International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) statement.
Lorenzi – who was part of the Italian Army’s sports section, the Esercito – was attended to immediately and taken by helicopter to hospital in Bolzano, according to Olympics.com, where she later died on Tuesday.
Italy’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the news in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, expressing its “deepest condolences” and saying, “Lance Corporal Matilde Lorenzi, athlete of the Army and promise of Italian skiing, … tragically passed away following a very serious accident during a training session.”
Meanwhile, the FIS said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Matilde Lorenzi, as announced by the Italian Ministry of Defense, who conveyed heartfelt condolences for the 19-year-old athlete of the Italian Army.”
“FISI (theItalian Winter Sports Federation) is in mourning, standing by her family, friends, and everyone who cherished Matilde, honoring her memory today and always,” the world governing body added.
“I will always remember her with a smile, with her determination and drive,” her older sister Lucrezia Lorenzi – a World Cup series skier – told CNN affiliate SkyTG24.
Lucrezia described her sister as a “good giant,” who “will support me and support us during this difficult time, and surely her push will be crucial, which will be as huge and giant as she was.”
The younger Lorenzi competed in the 2024 FIS Junior World Alpine Ski Championships finishing sixth in the women’s downhill and eighth in super-G, an alpine skiing event that combines elements of giant slalom and downhill.
The 19-year-old was Italian junior champion last season in the overall standings and super-G, according to the Olympic website.
US alpine ski star Mikaela Shiffrin was one of many who expressed sadness, reposting images of Lorenzi captioned with broken hearts on her X account.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on X that the death “truly saddens me. I join in the grief of her family, colleagues and the entire Army Sports Center.”