After the death of the former world-class pole vaulter, former companions have expressed their condolences and sadness.

"It's a very, very sad day for athletics, which also affects me personally, because with Tim, who I have known since he was young, we are not only losing a great person, but also an athlete who was always committed to athletics has," said Jürgen Kessing, President of the German Athletics Association, according to a statement. The entire athletics community wishes the family "a lot of strength".

Lobinger died at the age of 50, his family confirmed. The former exceptional athlete had fought cancer for years. According to his own statement from last fall, he knew that he would die soon.

DLV CEO Idriss Gonschinska spoke of the 2003 indoor world champion as a "great" person and "gifted" pole vaulter. "Until the end we hoped that he would win the fight against cancer," said Gonschinska. "Pole vaulting without Tim Lobinger was unthinkable for many years. In his heart there was always room for his athletics, for which he has always been an excellent ambassador nationally and internationally."

In 1997, Lobinger was the first German pole vaulter to break the six-meter mark outdoors. After his career, he worked for four years as an athletic trainer with the footballers at RB Leipzig. "Rest in peace my friend," wrote RB striker Emil Forsberg on Twitter.