Figure skating champion and Olympian Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya has died in Moscow at age 20.
The death of the Russian-born skater, who became an Australian citizen in 2016 and competed for Australia in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics with Harley Windsor, was confirmed Friday by the Australian Olympic Committee, The Associated Press reports.
Her cause of death has not yet been revealed.
In 2017, Alexandrovskaya and skating partner Windsor — the country’s first Indigenous athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics — won the world junior title.
Alexandrovskaya retired from skating in February, following multiple injuries.
A “devastated” Windsor, 23, took to Instagram early Saturday to pay tribute to her.
“Words can not describe how I feel right now,” he wrote. “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.”
Alexandrovskaya is the second Australian Winter Olympian to die in the past 10 days.
On July 8, three-time Olympian Alex Pullin, a two-time world champion snowboarder, drowned in the Oceania country while spearfishing.
“Katia’s death is another blow to our winter sports community who are still reeling from our loss of ‘Chumpy’ Pullin,” said Ian Chesterman, chef de mission for the country’s team in Pyeongchang.
With News Wire Services
