German pole vaulter Fabian Schulze died shortly before his 40th birthday

German pole vaulter Fabian Schulze has died at the age of 40, the press service of the German Athletics Federation reports.

As reported, the athlete died “from an insidious illness” on February 25 in Sonthofen; no further details were provided. Schulze, who would have turned 40 on March 7, is survived by his wife and two children.

Schulze is a medalist at the European Youth and Junior Championships; at the 2006 World Indoor Athletics Championships in Moscow he took fourth place. The German also finished sixth at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona and the 2011 European Indoor Championships.

With a score of 5.83 meters, he ranks ninth on the list of the best German pole vaulters.