A rising gymnast poised to become a star within the community tragically died after plunging to her death near a popular tourist, The Daily Mail reported.
Czech gymnast Natálie Štíchová, 23, was visiting the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Bavaria, Germany on August 15. The structure is so named because it inspired the castle in Disney’s 1959 film. Witnesses say that as Štíchová suddenly lost her footing and fell 262 feet down Tegelberg Mountain.
Štíchová was accompanied on the hike by two friends and her boyfriend, David. One of Štíchová’s friends, who wished to remain anonymous, told the outlet that the gymnast was standing very close to the cliff’s edge when one of her feet fell over the side. “We will never find out whether she slipped or whether a piece of the rock edge broke off,” her friend added.
Štíchová was airlifted to a local hospital. Six days later, her family decided to remove her from life support after doctors determined she had suffered irreversible brain damage.
Štíchová was a well-known athlete in Czechia and had recently begun to train junior athletes. She often posted pictures of herself and her friends hiking and doing other physical activities on Instagram. Two weeks ago, Štíchová posted a photo of herself and David at a friend’s wedding with the caption, “What I want is you.”
“Natalia spread smiles throughout her short life, and that is how we will remember her forever,” Štíchová’s gym, Sokol Pribram Sports Gymnastics, said in a statement. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and close friends, sending them strength and support.”
