It is always quite sad to see a talented athlete pass away. When one has such great potential that they can go on to compete at the biggest of competitions in the world, most of the time, they achieve that through hard work and dedication throughout their journey. However, sometimes fate just has other plans.

An incident occurs, cutting their time here short in unfortunate circumstances. That’s what happened to Natalie Stichova, a 23-year-old gymnast from Czechoslovakia. She had started preparing for junior athletics when tragedy struck. It all happened when she went sightseeing in Germany.

Natalie Stichova’s unfortunate fall in the quest for the perfect selfie

Natalie Stichova was sightseeing at the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. That was when tragedy struck. She wanted the perfect image to round off her trip to Instagram. According to her friends, she was standing close to the edge of the Tegelberg mountain, where the castle is located. That’s when she apparently fell, leading to her eventual death.

“She fell from a height of about 262 feet. We will never find out whether she slipped or whether a piece of rock edge broke off,” said one friend who was present with her during the harrowing incident. They were a group of four, with Stichova accompanied by two friends and her boyfriend, David. Despite such a massive fall, the gymnast managed to survive it initially, and a helicopter transported them to the hospital. However, the brain damage caused to her was irreversible. Thus, her family decided to take her off life support.

Natalie Stichova’s club and family mourn her untimely death

Natalie Stichova had made a name for herself in her country and was preparing to participate in junior athletics at 23. She trained in her club, Sokol Pribram Sports Gymnastics. After her death was confirmed, they put out a statement mourning her. It said, “With deep sorrow, we announce that our wonderful friend, gymnast, representative, and coach, Natalie Stichova, has left us forever because of a tragic accident. She lost her fight for life on August 21 at 5.30am. Natalie spread smiles throughout her short life, and that is how we will remember her forever. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and close friends, sending them strength and support. To honour Natalie’s memory, you are welcome to light a candle at our gymnasium.”

Her mother also said, “There is no one who didn’t love her. Our Natalie was the sweetest person.” Neuschwanstein Castle has become notorious for tourists falling off the mountain as a similar incident, though with much more sinister intentions. A man had pushed two American tourists off the cliff after attacking both of them. Authorities have since imprisoned him and given him a life sentence.

It is tragic to witness these untimely deaths happen. We hope all the families find peace soon.