"Forever my guardian angel": Mourning for ski heroine

Just before the start of the Olympic Games, the skiing world received sad news. A former vice world champion has died.

February 02, 2026

From: det

It was back in 1991 when Natasa Bokal's star truly rose. That year, the Slovenian won the silver medal in the slalom at the World Ski Championships in Saalbach – the greatest success of her career. Now, however, the ski world has received tragic news: Bokal died on Saturday at the age of 58.

The Slovenian had been suffering from cancer for years. After overcoming her first bout with cancer in 2019, she was struck by the insidious disease again in 2024. This time, the former slalom specialist could not win her battle.

Bokal celebrated her greatest success in Saalbach in 1991. © AFP / DON EMMERT

Between 1990 and 2003, Bokal was active in the Ski World Cup, competing in 135 races. Her only victory came in January 1991, ironically in her home race in Kranjska Gora. A few weeks later, she achieved the greatest success of her career: at the Ski World Championships, Bokal was only beaten by Swiss ski icon Vreni Schneider in the slalom and won silver.

Check out this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ana Bokal (@anabokal)

With an emotional message, Bokal's niece Ana bid farewell on Sunday. The 19-year-old is a skier herself and has already competed in the European Cup. "To my eternal guardian angel," the niece's Instagram post begins. "By blood, you were my aunt, but in my heart, you were so much more than that. You were like a third parent to me, the person who taught me so much, who gave me my passion for life, and showed me how beautiful our sport can be."

Natasa Bokal had also been involved as a trainer for her niece Ana in recent years. "I will be eternally grateful. You were taken from us far too soon, but you fought until the very end, and I know that you are now in a much more peaceful place where you no longer feel any pain," were the niece's emotional words.

Keywords Winter sports Alpine skiing Natasa Bokal