Snowboard Star Ellie Soutter Dies at Age 18, GB Olympic Association Announces

British snowboard cross athlete Ellie Soutter died suddenly on her 18th birthday, the British Olympic Association announced Thursday. 

She earned a bronze medal at last year's European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, the only medal for Team Great Britain at the event.

"Ellie was an incredibly popular and well-liked member of the team," BOA Chair Hugh Robertson and BOA Athlete Commission Chair Ben Hawes said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time."

"Ellie was one of the country’s best up-and-coming snowboarders, competing in both snowboard cross and freeride," British Ski and Snowboard said in their own statement, via the Guardian.

Her goal was apparently to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which would have been an especially impressive accomplishment considering Great Britain didn't have a single representative in ladies' snowboard cross at the 2018 Games.

No further details have been released about Soutter's death.