Father of British snowboarder Ellie Soutter who died on her 18th birthday warns of pressures on young athletes
The father of British snowboarder Ellie Soutter who died on her 18th birthday believes she may have been struggling to cope with the pressures of high-level competitive sport.
Speaking publicly for the first time since his daughter's death, Tony Soutter called for more support around mental health issues among athletes.
"Mental health awareness needs to be really looked at and made more public," he told BBC South East.
"She wanted to be the best. She didn't want to let anybody down."
Mr Soutter also believes that a missed trip to train with Team GB deeply affected his daughter.
"Unfortunately it all came about from missing a flight which then meant she didn't go training with the GB squad.
"She felt she'd let them down, felt she'd let me down and just tragically it just takes one silly little thing like that to tip someone over the edge, because there's a lot of pressure on children.
"I have lost my best friend, my total buddy. She was my rock," he added.
Ms Soutter, who passed away on the July 25, was labelled as one of the "country's best up-and-coming snowboarders" in a statement by British Ski and Snowboard.
She won Team GB's only medal at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Turkey last year, taking home a bronze in the snowboard cross.
Writing on Facebook at the time of her death, Mr Soutter said he was "so proud of the beautiful young woman she had turned into" and called her his "soul mate".
British Olympic Association chairman Hugh Robertson paid tribute to Ms Soutter, calling her an "incredibly popular and well-liked member" of the snowboarding team.
A BOA spokesman said: "The British Olympic Association is saddened to hear of the sudden passing of snowboard cross athlete Ellie Soutter, aged 18.
"Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time."
Ellie Soutter's official website described going to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing as her "ultimate ambition".
She was also listed as an ambassador for the Les Gets Ski Station in the French Alps.
No further details have been released about her death.