Former New Zealand Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore, 24, has died. The New Zealand Olympic Committee confirmed the news with a statement on Tuesday.
“The New Zealand Olympic Committee is deeply saddened by the loss of Olympian #1333 and Cyclist Olivia Podmore,” the statement read. “We offer our deepest condolences to family, friends and others in the NZ community who are grieving this loss.
“We are providing wellbeing support for members of her team and the wider team as we return home from Tokyo.”
Podmore represented New Zealand in the 2016 Rio Olympics, participating in the team sprint, the keirin and the individual sprint. She also claimed victory as the New Zealand keirin national champion in 2017 and raced for her country during the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Podmore did not travel with the team to Tokyo for the 2020 games.
Words can’t express how saddened we are to hear of the sudden death of Rio 2016 Olympian, Olivia Podmore.
Our thoughts are with her family, friends and @CyclingNZL. RIP 🤍 pic.twitter.com/i1sKCI1CsM
— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) August 9, 2021
Details on the cause of death have not yet been released.
“Police attended a sudden death at a Cambridge property yesterday evening,” authorities said in a statement released to CNN. “Police are making enquiries in relation to the death on behalf of the Coroner. The Coroner will release their findings in due course.”
The cyclist’s brother, Mitchell Podmore, shared a few touching posts for his sister on Facebook earlier today.
“Rest in peace to my gorgeous sister and loved daughter of Phil Podmore. You will be in our hearts forever,” he wrote. “…Today is the day that i will remember for the rest of my life, im coming to get you for the last time my beautiful Sister and bring home to your family.”
Our thoughts are with the Podmore family and New Zealand cycling community through this difficult time.
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