Olympic Gold Medalist Tori Bowie Dies at 32

Tori Bowie, the celebrated sprinter who won gold at the Olympics and World Championships, has died at the age of 32. Her management company confirmed the news.

Bowie was discovered dead at her home in Orlando, Florida, where the local sheriff’s department had been called for a wellness check on a woman in her thirties who had not been seen or heard from in several days.

The department said that the circumstances surrounding her death are not suspicious.

Max Siegel, the CEO of USA Track and Field said, “USATF is deeply saddened by the passing of Tori Bowie, a three-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champion.” He further said, “A talented athlete, her impact on the sport is immeasurable, and she will be greatly missed.”

Tori Bowie’s achievements

Bowie was born and brought up in Mississippi, where she excelled in athletics. After securing an athletic scholarship at the University of Southern Mississippi, she won national titles in indoor and outdoor long jump events in 2011.

After graduation, Bowie continued to concentrate on the long jump, but eventually shifted her focus to sprinting in 2014 after realizing her explosive speed. Her decision paid off as she went on to win multiple medals at the Rio Olympics in 2016, including a silver and bronze in the 100m and 200m races respectively.

In the 2016 Olympics, Bowie won her first gold medal as a part of the USA 4x100m relay team. The following year, she accomplished even more.

“We’re devasted to share the very sad news that Tori Bowie has passed away. We’ve lost a client, dear friend, daughter and sister. 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. pic.twitter.com/ES83SjM7u4

— Icon Management Inc. (@iconmanagement) May 3, 2023

At the World Athletics Championships in London, she added another gold medal in the relay event and also won individual gold in the 100m race, where she edged out Marie-Josée Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast in a close finish.

“I had no idea. All I knew was I wanted to give it everything I’ve got,” Bowie said after winning. “Am I really world champion?”

Craig Poole, who coached Bowie said, “She was a very enthusiastic, sparkling personality.” He further said, “She was really fun to work with.”

Bowie’s hard work to improve as an athlete

Despite her successes, Bowie remained grounded and continued to work hard to improve her skills. She returned to long jump in 2019 and finished fourth at the World Championships. However, she did not participate in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Bowie’s upbringing was humble: she was raised by her grandmother in a small town called Sand Hill, which had less than 100 people. However, her immense talent allowed her to rise to the pinnacle of her sport and represent her country on the global stage.