USA track and field athlete Tori Bowie has passed away, TMZ reports.
According to the outlet, the Olympic star was found deceased on May 2 in her Florida home. However, her cause of death is currently unknown. Bowie’s management team later confirmed her passing after releasing a heartbreaking statement on the track star.
“We’ve lost a client, dear friend, daughter, and sister,” Icon Management said. “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.”
As a renowned runner, Bowie won three medals with team USA. Her most notable one came at the 2016 Rio Olympics when she was a part of the nation’s 4 x 100 meter relay team and disqualified in the preliminary race before being allowed to re-run it.
That summer, Bowie also took home a silver in the 100-meter dash and a bronze in the 200-meter dash. Bowie earned the highest honor in track and field the following year when she was announced as the world’s fastest woman alive. At the England 2017 IAAF World Championships, Bowie clocked a blazing speed of 10.85 seconds.
But as good as Bowie was on the track, the 32-year-old athlete was equally impressive in the field events. Before turning pro, Bowie was a star performer at the University of Southern Mississippi, the outlet shared. During her collegiate career, she was a two-time NCAA long jump champion in indoor and outdoor track. Bowie also modeled and had a brand deal with Adidas.
The Olympian’s last Instagram post was on Oct. 6, 2019. That day, the Mississippi native spoke about her journey as an athlete. She shared a video of herself competing in the long jump, placing fourth at the meet. “What a journey, what a journey,” she captioned her IG post. “Finishing fourth in the world, considering I’ve been away from it for five years, is a huge accomplishment for me!” Bowie then said she was ready to compete for a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before penning a message to the world.
“To everyone chasing their dreams out there, keep the courage and determination!” she continued. “I know I will.”