Last updated: 23.11.2023, 05:01 a.m.
By: Marius Epp
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Her goal was the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles - but now she has passed away far too early: The gymnastics family mourns the loss of Mia Sophie Lietke.
Fellbach-Schmiden – Her death stirs up sports Germany: The young gymnast Mia Sophie Lietke died last Thursday at the age of only 16, as the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) announced. The exact cause of death is initially unclear. According to information from Bild, a sudden cardiac death is suspected, the body of the girl will be autopsied.
Born in Ulm, she was considered a great gymnastics talent, her specialty was rhythmic gymnastics. According to the DTB, Lietke died "very suddenly and unexpectedly". "The consternation and sympathy in the gymnastics family is correspondingly great," the official statement reads.
German gymnastics hopeful Mia Lietke died on Thursday, November 16, 2023. © camera4+/imago
Federation mourns: German gymnast dies at the age of 16
"In these difficult hours, our deepest sympathy goes out to Mia's family, to whom we wish all the strength in the world to be able to deal with this sad event," the DTB continues. Lietke's big goal was the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
In 2020 she became German junior champion with the hoop and runner-up in the all-around. A little later, she was even voted Berlin's Young Athlete of the Year. In January of this year, she moved to the national team centre in the Swabian town of Fellbach-Schmiden. She died there.
Mia Sophie Lietke (16) is dead: "You can't find words"
Her coach Magdalena Brzeska, who is still one of the most successful gymnasts in Germany, is hit hard by the death of her protégé.
"What can you say, you can't find words. She was one of my first gymnasts when I came to Ulm. She was very talented, very hardworking, always gave 100 percent in training. Her goal was the Olympics, and she did everything she could to achieve it. I'm sure she could have done the same. I can't imagine what the family is going through now. It's a very bad story," she told Bild.
Her hometown club, the Berlin TSC, reacted with "great dismay" to Lietke's "unexpected death". The athletes at the federal base and their families are currently receiving psychological support. There was also a shock in the district class in the Munich area: A Moosach footballer had to be admitted to the intensive care unit. (epp)