Olympic gymnast Gaël Da Silva has died after a tragic car crash. He was 41.
Da Silva, a former French Olympian who represented his country at the 2012 London Games, died on the morning of Tuesday, May 26, according to reports from The Sun and the French sports outlet L’Équipe.
Details about what caused the crash, where exactly it happened, or whether anyone else was involved were not immediately released.
The heartbreaking news has stunned the gymnastics world, especially because Da Silva had reportedly been seen in public just 10 days earlier at the French Team Championships in Amiens.
Known by the nickname “Gaou,” Da Silva leaves behind his wife, Camille, and their three children: Hugo, 12, Jules, 9, and Lou, 6.
His death sparked an outpouring of tributes from fans, athletes, and members of the gymnastics community.
International Gymnast Magazine shared a tribute after news of his death surfaced, writing: “We’re saddened to share that Gaël Da Silva, a 2012 French Olympian, passed away on May 26, 2026, at the age of 41. Rest in peace. RIP.”
Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, the respected gymnastics coach who previously trained Simone Biles, also reacted to the devastating news. She posted a photo of Da Silva on her Instagram Story and wrote, “Such sad news.”
Da Silva had built an impressive career in French gymnastics before his sudden death. He won a bronze medal in the floor exercise at the 2012 European Championships in Montpellier, France.
That same year, he competed for France at the London Olympics. The French men’s gymnastics team finished eighth and did not medal, but Da Silva’s Olympic appearance remained one of the defining moments of his career.
His life had already been touched by tragedy once before.
In 2004, Da Silva was struck by a car while riding his motorcycle. The injuries from that crash forced him away from gymnastics for a time and left him wondering whether he would ever return to the sport that had shaped his life.
But he refused to let the accident end his career.
“From my hospital bed, I saw the gym slipping away, but I didn’t want to stop there,” Da Silva once said, according to L’Équipe. “Without it, I don’t know what I would have done with my life. That’s what motivated me to get out of there quickly.”
Years later, Da Silva made it all the way to the Olympic stage.