American track and field star Tori Bowie, who won three medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, died from complications of childbirth, according to ESPN and other news outlets. She was 32 years old.
Bowie was found dead in her home in Florida on May 2 after authorities were called to perform a wellness check. She had not been seen or heard from for several days. An autopsy report from the Orange County (Fla.) Medical Examiner Office estimated that Bowie was eight months pregnant at the time of her death and in active labor. USA TODAY reported that Bowie possibly experienced respiratory distress and eclampsia, which occurs when a sudden spike in high blood pressure during pregnancy causes a person to experience seizures.
“We’ve lost a client, dear friend, daughter and sister,” Icon Management, the sports agency that represented Bowie, wrote in a statement after news of her death broke. “Tori was a champion … a beacon of light that shined so bright! We’re truly heartbroken and our prayers are with the family and friends.”
Bowie won a gold medal in Rio as the anchor of the 4x100 team with Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix and English Gardner. She won silver in the 100 meters and bronze in the 200 meters.
