Inspirational Italian skier passes away aged 37 after cancer battle

Elena Fanchini was forced to miss the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang after a horror diagnosis.

Elena Fanchini, an inspirational skier who was forced to cut short her career due to a cancer diagnosis, has passed away at the age of 37, The Sun reports.

The Italian athlete died at her home in Solato, Brescia after battling the illness for some time.

Fanchini enjoyed a superb skiing career which included competing at three Olympic Games and six editions of the World Cup.

She claimed world silver in the downhill event back in 2005 and also won two World Cup races.

But she was made to miss the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang as she received treatment for a tumour.

She then attempted to return in 2019, but broke her fibula in a serious injury.

This ultimately led to her releasing an emotional video in which she was forced to retire from skiing.

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Elena Fanchini has passed away at the age of 37. Pic: Instagram

Fanchini’s illness returned in August of last year and she tragically passed away on the same day Italian Marta Bassino won world gold in the Super-G.

Another of Fanchini’s former teammates, Federica Brignone, secured gold in the combined.

Last month, Sofia Goggia, the favourite to win Saturday’s downhill event, dedicated her victory in Cortina d’Ampezzo to Fanchini.

Fanchini was one of three sisters racing at World Cup skiing events - with siblings Nadia and Sabrina also former athletes.

Flavio Roda, president of the Italian Winter Sports Federation, passed on his condolences to her family.

He said: “The whole family of the Italian Winter Sports Federation is close to Nadia, Sabrina, father Sandro and mother Giusi in these difficult hours”.

- This article originally appeared on thesun.co.uk and was republished with permission.