Champion figure skater and Olympian Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya died Friday in Moscow at the age of 20, the Australian Olympic Committee confirmed in an Associated Press report.
The cause of death was not disclosed Friday, although Russian broadcasting station, REN TV, reported Saturday that Alexandrovskaya died after “falling from a window in Moscow,” where she did much of her training.
Alexandrovskaya’s coach, Andrei Hekalo, told Russian newspaper, Izvestiu, that the skater suffered an epileptic seizure in January, roughly one month before she retired from skating following multiple injuries.
Alexandrovskaya, who was born in the Russian Capital but obtained Australian citizenship in 2016, paired with Harley Windsor to compete for her adopted country at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
She was a two-time Australian National Champion while skating with Windsor, 23, who became the first indigenous Australian to compete at the Winter Olympics.
Windsor posted his thoughts on Instagram:
“Words can not describe how I feel right now, I am devastated and sick to my core about the sad and sudden passing of Katia. The amount we had achieved during our partnership is something I can never forget and will always hold close to my heart. This news is something you can never prepare for. Rest In Peace Katia.”
The 2017 world junior championship pair finished 18th in Pyeongchang.
Earlier this month, three-time Australian Olympian Alex Pullin, a two-time world champion snowboarder, died while spearfishing in an artificial reef on Australia’s Gold Coast.