Kelly Catlin and other sports stars who died too young

Erica Blasberg - Blasberg was a pro golfer who reportedly committed suicide when she was 25. Some suggested foul play from a Dr. Thomas Hess, who says he had a "flirty" relationship with Blasberg. But he was ultimately cleared in a wrongful death and medical malpractice lawsuit stemming from Blasberg's passing.

8 / 31 Fotos

Oscar Taveras - The 22-year-old Dominican-Canadian was primed to be a star with the St. Louis Cardinals. However, "El Fenómeno" and his girlfriend were both killed in a car crash.

9 / 31 Fotos

Sarah Burke - Sarah Burke was a breathtaking Canadian skier. However, she fell on her head during training, and died of injuries that she sustained.

10 / 31 Fotos

Drazen Petrovic - The Croatian basketballer played for Portland, Real Madrid, and the New Jersey Nets. He died in a car accident in Germany aged 28.

11 / 31 Fotos

Camille Muffat - The French swimmer won bronze, silver, and gold at the Olympics. She joined the TV show 'Dropped,' but died aged 25 along with nine other people in a helicopter crash.

12 / 31 Fotos

Ed Sanders - Sanders was a US Olympic champion of boxing. His last fight was against Willie James, who beat the boxer beyond repair. He was stretchered out of the ring, and pronounced dead at a hospital aged 24.

13 / 31 Fotos

Darrent Williams - This NFL star started 14 games for the Denver Broncos in 2006. However, Williams was gunned down in a drive-by shooting during a 2007 New Year's Eve celebration. He was 24.

14 / 31 Fotos

Steve Prefontaine - This Oregon-born Olympic runner died in a car accident when he was 24.

15 / 31 Fotos

Andrés Escobar - During the 1994 World Cup, the Colombian central defender accidentally scored an own goal in a 2-1 loss against the US. The country turned on the player, who was murdered at age 27. Many have made connections between his mistake and his murder.

16 / 31 Fotos

José Fernández - Fernández was an exciting star with the Miami Marlins, but died in a boating accident when was 24, five days after announcing that his girlfriend was pregnant with their child.

17 / 31 Fotos

Francisco Lázaro - Lázaro's day job was doing carpentry in Lisbon, and he also represented Portugal as an Olympic marathon runner. He died from dehydration aged 21, during an Olympic marathon before which he reportedly said "either I win or I die."

18 / 31 Fotos

Nick Adenhart - Nick Adenhart had a great start with the Los Angeles Angels. However, he was killed at age 22 in a car crash not far from the Angels stadium.

19 / 31 Fotos

Salvador Sanchez - Despite his short career, Salvador Sanchez is still seen as one of boxing's greatest featherweight fighters. He died at age 23 in a car accident.

20 / 31 Fotos

Antonio Puerta - Puerta was a star player for Seville, winning five titles with his only club. He collapsed during a La Liga match in 2007, and was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

21 / 31 Fotos

Bernardo Ribeiro - The Brazilian attacking midfielder died at 26, after suffering a cardiac arrest following a game with an amateur club.

22 / 31 Fotos

Pat Tillman - Tillman got his start with the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. However, he joined the military after 9/11, and was killed in a friendly-fire accident aged 27.

23 / 31 Fotos

Christian Benitez - Otherwise known as "Chucho," this Ecuadorian striker played around the world, before dying of cardiac arrest complications at the age of 27.

24 / 31 Fotos

Edvin Hodžić - This Austrian midfielder played for many clubs in his country, and was contracted to play for German club SV Schalding-Heining. However, he passed away at the age of 23.

25 / 31 Fotos

Sean Taylor - Sean Taylor was a star on the rise with the Washington Redskins. However, he was fatefully shot in the leg during a robbery attempt at his home. He died aged 24 at the hospital.

26 / 31 Fotos

Renato Curi - During the '60s and '70s, Curi played midfield for Italian clubs like Como, Perugia, and Giulianova. However, he died suddenly, aged 24, during a game against Juventus in 1977.

27 / 31 Fotos

Victims of the Munich air disaster - One of the most shocking accidents in the history of soccer, a plane carrying the Manchester United team crashed in Munich in 1958. 23 people died, including eight United players in their prime.

28 / 31 Fotos

Aleksandr Lomakin - The midfielder had made a mark on Russian football, but was found dead in Moscow at the age of 18.

29 / 31 Fotos

Bill Barilko - Otherwise known as "Bashin' Belly," the Toronto-based hockey player was 24 when he vanished in August 1951. He apparently died in a plane crash, and the wreckage was found 11 years later.

30 / 31 Fotos

Ernie Davis - He was the first African-American who won the Heisman Trophy, but Davis' career was cut short after he was diagnosed with leukemia. He died of the disease at 23.

31 / 31 Fotos

Kelly Catlin and other sports stars who died too young

The life of an athlete can be fast and furious

12/03/19 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE celebrity deaths

The life of an athlete can be fast and furious. They start young, normally, and quickly prove themselves at a national, and international level. However, the lightning-fast rise of a sports star can burn them out fast. Take Kelly Catlin, a US Olympic cyclist who has taken her own life at the age of 23. Contextualized with the recent passing of Emiliano Sala, it's important to understand just how many sport stars have had their careers fatefully cut short. Click through this gallery to find out which sports stars died too young.