Ex-German athletics champion Alexander Lubina dies aged 42 in tragic cave accident

Former German athlete champion Alexander Lubina has been found dead in Mallorca, aged 42.

According to the Spanish Guardia Civil, a storm caused high waves which threw the runner into the rocks in Cala Serena. Divers later recovered his body from the cave overnight on Thursday.

Lubina, who won the 10,000 metres at the 2002 German Championships, had reportedly held training sessions for local runners this week before his tragic accident. His running club, TV Wattenscheid 01, have since paid tribute.

In a released statement, they said: "TV Wattenscheid 01 Leichtathletik eV is thinking of Alexander Lubina's relatives and wishes the bereaved, especially in these difficult times."

A police spokesman told German outlet Bild: "It is a dangerous place where, unfortunately, there have been several accidents and deaths."

The standout time in Lubina's career undoubtedly came in 2002, where his success at national level ensured he qualified for the European Championships in Munich. There, he finished 13th.

Two years later, he ran in the European Cross Country Championships, finishing 29th. He then embarked on a change of focus, and in 2008, became the German orienteering long distance champion.

He also attempted to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics via the marathon, a discipline he'd taken up a year earlier. However, he narrowly failed to make the German team for the Games in China.

As well as his running club, others have taken to social media to pay their respects. On the athlete's Twitter page, one person wrote: "What sad news, show them up there in the clouds."

Another said: "Alex, you're walking on clouds now." A host of other users simply left heart emoji's, or messaged 'RIP'. Lubina himself hadn't posted a picture on the