We examine the reason behind the cause of death of Emilia Brangefalt, along with her biography, career journey, and achievements
The running community mourns the loss of Emilia Brangefalt, a promising Swedish trail runner who took her own life at the age of 21. Brangefalt, who had become a rising star in long-distance athletics, leaves behind a void that will be deeply felt.
Swedish runner Emilia Brangefalt cause of death, obituary, illness, bio, age, family and achievements
Her accomplishments included winning a bronze medal at the 2022 Trail World Championships 40km race in Chiang Mai and securing fifth place in a world championship race in Innsbruck earlier in the year.
⚠️Trigger Warning: Contains Strong Mental Health References⚠️
It is truly unfathomable, yet heartbreakingly true, that the elite trailrunning community has lost one of its young stars whose performances at the last two #WMTRC’s signalled much promise.
Vale Emilia Brangefalt. 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/jappMRZYev
— Brandon (@b3108) November 23, 2023
Swedish trail runner Emilia Brangefalt, 21, dies by suicide after she was diagnosed with 'extremely high heart rate' which forced her to stop training https://t.co/h8iBb5CPWR pic.twitter.com/DBq7SkgeOG
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) November 23, 2023
⚠️Trigger Warning: Contains Strong Mental Health References⚠️
It is truly unfathomable, yet heartbreakingly true, that the elite trailrunning community has lost one of its young stars whose performances at the last two #WMTRC’s signalled much promise.
Vale Emilia Brangefalt. 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/jappMRZYev
— Brandon (@b3108) November 23, 2023
Why Emilia Brangefalt committed suicide?
Despite her successes, Brangefalt faced a setback in her career when she was diagnosed with an unusually high heart rate. This diagnosis compelled her to take an extended break from the sport. In a heartfelt Instagram post on November 4, she candidly shared the physical and mental challenges she encountered during this trying period.
Brangefalt, in expressing her pain, mentioned that even a simple walk has become agonizing for her at present. She recounted her struggles to maintain a normal life despite receiving positive results from multiple medical examinations. Further, she raised questions about whether her intensive race schedule, which included the Transvulcania 48k and WMTRC 45k with less than a month in between, had contributed to her health issues.
How did Emilia’s brother Adam react to the unfortunate incident?
On November 13, the Swedish Athletics Federation somberly verified the suicide of Brangefalt, revealing that she had grappled with intense physical and mental distress during her last months. Kasja Bergqvist, the SAF captain, struggled to convey the deep tragedy of losing a young and promising athlete. Vasteras FK, Brangefalt’s running association, also conveyed their grief, emphasizing the grim truth of the impact that high-performance sports can have on individuals.
Adam, the brother of Brangefalt, honored his sister on Instagram. He revealed that Emilia had attempted to seek psychiatric support the day before her tragic demise but faced difficulty accessing assistance because of a shortage of staff. The untimely passing of Brangefalt emphasizes the urgency of tackling the frequently ignored mental health challenges in the world of sports.