French Olympic Gymnast Dies at Age 41

French Olympic gymnast Gaël Da Silva has died following a car accident at the age of 41, according to reports.

Known by the nickname “Gaou,” Da Silva reportedly died Tuesday in a road crash. Additional details about the accident had not been released as of Friday morning.

Da Silva represented France at the 2012 London Olympics after earning a bronze medal in the floor exercise at the 2012 European Championships. During the London Games, the French men’s gymnastics team placed eighth and did not win a medal.

The former gymnast remained active in the sport after his competitive career. French outlet L’Equipe reported that he attended the French Team Championships in Amiens just 10 days before the fatal accident.

Before his death, Da Silva was working as a technical sales representative for Gymnova, a gymnastics equipment company.

He is survived by his wife, Camille, and their three children — Hugo, 12, Jules, 9, and Lou, 6.

Tributes have begun pouring in from the gymnastics community as friends, colleagues, and fans remember Da Silva’s achievements and lasting impact on the sport