The former Czech ski jumper Antonin Hajek is dead. This was announced by the Czech Ski Association on Friday without giving any further details about the circumstances of his death. Hajek was reported missing by his family on October 2, 2022 and has not appeared since. From then on, the wildest rumors about Hajek’s whereabouts circulated, including speculation that he had fled to Malaysia for a job. Now the sad death news.

“The former excellent ski jumper, Czech record holder and national coach Antonin Hajek has died. His life ended at the early age of 36,” the association said.

Hajek is the Czech national record holder with 236 meters. He set this distance at the Ski Flying World Championships 2010 in Planica. At the time, it was the third longest distance ever climbed. Two fourth places in the World Cup in the 2009/10 season were his greatest successes on the international ski jumping stage.

After participating in two ski jumping and four ski flying world championships and taking part in two Olympics, Hajek ended his active career in 2015. He then worked as a coach, including briefly as head of the Czech women’s team.