The German sports world mourns Andrea Otto. The ARD and BR presenter died last Friday after a serious illness at the age of just 47, confirmed the Bavarian broadcast on Tuesday. She leaves behind her husband and their daughter.

Otto had been working as a sports presenter and journalist for years, reporting, among other things, on five Olympic Games (Turin 2006, Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014). Otto has been working for Bayerischer Rundfunk since 2000, having previously completed an apprenticeship as a bookmaker. At the station, she first reported on the radio, later switched to television. From 2007 she ran, among other things, “Blickpunkt Sport” and also took care of winter sports for ARD.

Above all, she was seen as a presenter in ski jumping, cross-country skiing and biathlon. But Otto also reported on the 2018 World Cup in Russia for ARD.

A message from the ARD sports team says: “We are shocked and stunned – we miss Andrea: your sun continues to shine in our hearts. Our thoughts are with her daughter, her husband and her parents.” Otto was more than a wonderful colleague. “She was sunshine! Andrea exemplified positive charisma and a good mood – she was always friendly, cheerful and fair.”