Olympic figure skater Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya dead at 20

Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya, a Russian-born figure skater who competed for Australia in the 2018 Olympics, died Friday. She was 20.

The skater’s body was found near her house in Moscow, News.com.au reported. The cause of her death has not been disclosed. Alexandrovskaya retired in February due to injury, according to the BBC.

In a statement, the International Skating Union said it as “shocked” by the skater’s death.

“She was a talented pair skater and the figure skating community will miss her,” ISU President Jan Dijkema said in a statement posted to the organization’s website. “We offer our deepest sympathies to her family, friends and teammates and mourn this tragic loss.”

Alexandrovskaya was granted Australian citizenship to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics and teamed with Harley Windsor, who became the first indigenous Australian to qualify for the Winter Olympics. The pair won the 2017 world juniors title.

Windsor posted a photo of him with Alexandrovskaya on his Instagram account and said he was “devastated” by the news.

“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,” Windsor wrote. “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.”

Alexandrovskaya’s coach, Andrei Khekalo, told AFP the skater had been diagnosed with epilepsy earlier this year.

“She was fearless. She was like a fish in the water,” Khekalo told AFP.

It was the second death of a member of the Australian Winter Olympics squad in 10 days, the BBC reported. Alex Pullin, a three-time Olympian and a two-time world champion snowboarder, died while spearfishing last week on Australia’s Gold Coast, the network said.

Ian Chesterman, Australia’s 2018 Olympic chef de mission, said in a statement that the skater’s death “is another blow to our winter sports community.”

“It is enormously sad to lose Katia, who was a vibrant and talented person and an incredible athlete,” Chesterman said. “She was quiet and humble in her manner but incredibly determined to be the best she could be.”

Cox Media Group