Former Olympic champion Tori Bowie died in childbirth, in keeping with post-mortem | Sport

The previous Olympic and world champion sprinter Tori Bowie died in her house resulting from problems from childbirth, in keeping with an post-mortem report obtained by USA Today Sports.

The 32-year-old was discovered useless at her house in Orlando, Florida, in Could after the native sheriff’s division attended “a well-being test of a girl … who had not been seen or heard from in a number of days.” A explanation for loss of life was not launched on the time. Bowie’s online obituary stated she was predeceased by a daughter, Ariana.

Based on the report from Orange County Medical Examiner Workplace, Bowie was eight months pregnant and within the means of giving beginning when she died. It’s unclear if pals or household knew she was pregnant.

The report says doable causes of loss of life included respiratory misery and eclampsia. Eclampsia is a uncommon complication of pre-eclampsia and can cause seizures and strokes.

Broadcaster BET responded to the post-mortem by highlighting the difficulties Black girls in America face throughout being pregnant. US-born Black girls experience far higher rates of pre-eclampsia than these from different backgrounds.

“Black girls die at exceedingly increased charges resulting from pregnancy-related problems,” BET wrote on its Twitter account. “We face a a lot increased threat of maternal loss of life resulting from varied causes together with persistent stress and implicit bias from well being care suppliers. There may be a lot work to be executed to correctly defend and advocate for Black girls’s well being.”

Bowie gained three gold medals on the worldwide stage for the US. Her first got here as a part of the USA 4x100m relay staff on the 2016 Olympics. 2017 was much more profitable: she added one other relay gold on the World Athletics Championships in London and gained particular person gold within the 100m, beating Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josée Ta Lou in a photograph end.

“I had no thought. All I knew was I wished to offer it every little thing I’ve obtained,” Bowie stated after her victory. “Am I actually world champion?”

Bowie was born and raised in Mississippi. She performed basketball as a lady earlier than her expertise on the observe turned obvious: she gained state titles within the 100m, 200m and lengthy bounce.

“I keep in mind simply racing in all places as a toddler, like within the bushes, wherever … I raced on a regular basis,” she instructed the Guardian in 2017.

She gained two different Olympics medals: a silver and bronze within the 100m and 200m respectively in Rio in 2016. Based on her obituary she had been learning music at Full Sail College previous to her loss of life, and had additionally labored with underpriviliged kids.

“I want you may really feel how a lot respect I’ve for Tori Bowie,” her USA teammate, English Gardner, instructed the Guardian after Bowie’s loss of life. “I want you may really feel how superb of a competitor she was.”