Italian skier and 2005 world silver medallist Elena Fanchini has died from cancer at the age of 37.
Fanchini - a two-time World Cup gold medallist - won the silver medal in the women's downhill event at the 2005 World Championships and competed in three Winter Olympic Games.
The Lombardy-born skier represented Italy at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Games, but she announced in January 2018 that she would miss the Pyeongchang event after being diagnosed with cancer.
A heavy crash - in which she fractured her proximal fibula and finger - prevented Fanchini from making an anticipated return in the 2019 season, and she retired from skiing in April 2020.
The 2023 Alpine World Ski Championships are currently taking place in France, and the USA's Mikaela Shiffrin paid tribute to Fanchini after winning silver in the women's super-G on Wednesday.
"This was a day filled with emotions. There is so much I'd like to share... but what weighs the heaviest is the loss of Elena Fanchini," Shiffrin wrote.
"I'm sending my condolences to the whole Fanchini family, who have had such a strong impact on our sport and world with their passion and kindness. My heart is also with the Italian team, who are hurting very deeply now."
Fanchini's sisters, Nadia Fanchini and Sabrina Fanchini, were also on the Italian ski team, with the former retiring in 2020.
Ben Knapton
