Exceptional talent Laura Dahlmeier: successes, sponsors, fans, fortune

Net worth

Dahlmeier earned around 300,000 euros in prize money from World Cup and World Championship successes in the 2016/2017 season. Her estimated total annual income is around one million euros. Dahlmeier received 20,000 euros for each of her Olympic gold medals. Her sponsors are likely to generate far more Olympic income thanks to success bonuses.

Through her consistently high earnings from prize money, sponsorship deals, and media appearances, she was able to build up a considerable fortune over the years. Experts estimate her total wealth to be in the high seven-figure range, with potential to reach the billion mark through long-term investments and brand partnerships.

Exceptional athlete Laura Dahlmeier was one of the most successful biathletes. She won two gold and one bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang 2018, she was overall World Cup champion once and world champion seven times in the biathlon.

Successes in the biathlon: gold, bronze and world champion title

In May 2019, she announced the end of her career. "It's time to say goodbye," she begins her farewell post on her website. "I have given it a lot of thought and have now come to the final decision that I am ending my biathlon career. My decision is really not an easy one and my final decision has been allowed to mature for some time now. But I realize that now is the right time for me."

Leaving the top: a difficult decision

She went on to write: "Today I'm at the point where I don't know what exactly I should aim for, let alone whether I could even succeed again. This feeling alone shows me that I am no longer one hundred percent convinced that I want to pursue biathlon at the absolute top level. My parents told me: "Do something completely or not at all!"

Health setbacks and a forced break during the season

"I think there is so much more to life than just competitive sport. And I'm now ready to start a new chapter. I'm looking forward to the time ahead, new perspectives, challenges and lots of experiences around the globe."

Looking to the future: new chapter and new challenges

Dahlmeier also posted emotional words on social media.

Laura Dahlmeier has won two Olympic gold medals and once won the overall biathlon World Cup. But in the 2018/19 World Cup season, she first had to take a step back: Six weeks before the start of the biathlon World Cup season, she had to take a forced break for health reasons. "At the moment, I just don't feel like I need to in order to be able to train professionally. I just have to listen to my body and - as they say - let the air in," said Dahlmeier.

Laura Dahlmeier caused a sensation at the start of 2018. She won gold in the very first race at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Dahlmeier won the 7.5-kilometre sprint ahead of Marte Olsbu (Norway) and Veroinjka Vitkova (Czech Republic).

It is the first Olympic gold and therefore the greatest success in the career of the seven-time world champion in the biathlon. But it got even better: in the second race - the pursuit - she went one better and took her second Olympic victory. Anastasiya Kuzmina from Slovakia came second ahead of Anais Bescond from France, who took bronze.

In the individual race over 15 kilometers, it was enough for bronze, behind Sweden's Hanna Öberg and Kuzmina.

It's no wonder that Dahlmeier's medal races further boosted the already popular biathlon in the eyes of TV viewers: three of the ten most-watched Olympic competitions on public television were races in which Dahlmeier competed.

These Olympic medals also made Laura Dahlmeier, who has long since followed in the footsteps of biathlon legend Magdalena Neuner, interesting for sponsors once again. The homepage of the 31-year-old from SC Partenkirchen was already well stocked with "partners": a total of 18 sponsors are listed there, including Adidas, Fischer Ski, Scott and Viessmann (list below).

Before departing for South Korea, however, it also became clear that Dahlmeier is not only focused on biathlon:

"For me, there are other things in life besides biathlon. I would really like to go on a trip around the world for several months. Without appointments and training plans. Just letting yourself drift, without feeling guilty about missing your pole training," she said in an interview with "Sport Bild" shortly before setting off for Pyeongchang.

"I was already aware before the start of the season that the five gold medals from the 2017 World Championships in Hochfilzen were a one-off story," Dahlmeier continued. "There may never be anything like it again."

Early career end and new goals

Laura Dahlmeier announced early on that she would not continue her biathlon career forever. "In any case, I can't imagine doing biathlon forever. I certainly won't be doing it for as long as Mr. Björndalen, who is still celebrating success at over 40," she once said. Her decision to retire from competitive sport in 2019 was therefore not a surprise move, but a conscious transition to new life goals. "After all, we only have this one life," she explained.

Adventure in the Andes

After her retirement, Dahlmeier fulfilled a long-cherished dream: she traveled to South America and climbed the 5947-meter-high Alpamayo in the Andes. "I'm looking for a certain challenge in life. Just going on a beach vacation would be too boring for me," she said about her trip. The mountain was an enormous challenge, but also a source of strength: "Of course, the risk is higher on the mountain. But it gives me a lot of strength."

Down to earth and family

Despite her sporting success, Dahlmeier always remained down-to-earth. For a long time, she lived in an apartment in her parents' house, as she considered her family to be an important support in her life. Nature and the mountains were just as important to her as her family and her sporting success.

Involvement in the mountain rescue service

After the end of her career, Dahlmeier largely withdrew from the public eye, but her love of mountain sports remained unbroken. She completed her training as a state-certified mountain and ski guide and became involved as a member of the mountain rescue service. Mountain sports remained a central part of her life.

Tragic end

German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier died on July 28, 2025 in a serious mountain accident on Laila Peak in the Karakoram Mountains (Pakistan). The 31-year-old, who dedicated herself to alpine mountaineering after the end of her biathlon career, was hit by a falling rock on her last tour and succumbed to her serious injuries. However, we will always remember her passion for mountain sports and her tireless drive for new challenges.

Achievements:

Seven-time world champion (she recently won five out of six possible gold medals at the 2017 World Championships in Hochfilzen), reigning overall World Cup winner.
First Olympic gold at the 2018 Winter Games in the 7.5-kilometer sprint.

In 2017, she was crowned the most successful biathlete in history at a World Championship, won the most World Championship medals in a row and became the most successful German female skier in World Championship history.

Social Media

Instagram: over 258,000 followers

Facebook: over 187,000 followers

Dahlmeier was a real star with her fans on Facebook and Instagram - even if she didn't reveal much about her private life. She particularly loved nature and showed this time and again with posts of impressive landscape shots.

Sometimes the down-to-earth woman also revealed a little bit more about her private life - for example, what she likes to eat.

Outfitters/Sponsors

Fischer (skis), Viessmann (head sponsor), DKB, Adidas, Kornspitz, Joka, AOK, Oneway, Osprey, Petzl, Scott, Sponser Sportfood, DKB, Zoll-Skiteam, Initiative Oberland, Bergwacht Bayern and others.

Johannes Rydzek

Richard Freitag

Andreas Wellinger

Gregor Schlierenzauer

Kamil Stoch

Ole Einar Björndalen

Martin Fourcade

Denise Herrmann

Simon Schempp

Marcel Hirscher

Aksel Lund Svindal

Lindsey Vonn

Lara Gut

Shaun White

Heidi Zacher