U.S. Olympic medallists Tori Bowie and Calvin Davis have died inside days of one another, dealing a surprising blow the American track-and-field neighborhood.
Bowie, a three-time Olympic medallist who took gold within the 4x100m as a member of the U.S. relay crew on the 2016 Rio Video games, died Wednesday at age 32.
On the identical morning Bowie’s demise was confirmed, World Athletics introduced that Davis, who gained bronze for the U.S. within the 400m hurdles on the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, had died two days earlier, on Might 1, at age 51.
No explanation for demise has been confirmed for both Bowie or Davis.
Bowie remembered as a “beacon of sunshine”
Bowie’s managment firm, Icon Managment, confirmed the sprinter’s demise in a press release on Twitter.
“We’re devasted to share the very unhappy information that Tori Bowie has handed away,” reads the tweet. “We’ve misplaced a shopper, expensive buddy, daughter and sister. Tori was a champion…a beacon of sunshine that shined so brilliant! We’re actually heartbroken and our prayers are with the household and buddies.”
“We’re devasted to share the very unhappy information that Tori Bowie has handed away. We’ve misplaced a shopper, expensive buddy, daughter and sister. Tori was a champion…a beacon of sunshine that shined so brilliant! We’re actually heartbroken and our prayers are with the household and buddies. pic.twitter.com/ES83SjM7u4
— Icon Administration Inc. (@iconmanagement) Might 3, 2023
USA Observe and Discipline says it’s “deeply saddened” by Bowie’s loss. “Her impression on the game is immeasurable, and he or she might be vastly missed,” the group mentioned in a press release.
USATF is deeply saddened to listen to of the passing of Tori Bowie, a three-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champion.
Her impression on the game is immeasurable, and he or she might be vastly missed. pic.twitter.com/AHu5SejZ5N
— USATF (@usatf) Might 3, 2023
Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is amongst a variety of Bowie’s contemporaries sharing their condolences on-line. A former monitor rival of Bowie’s, Fraser-Pryce tweeted that her “coronary heart breaks for the household of Tori Bowie. A fantastic competitor and supply of sunshine. Your power and smile will all the time be with me. Relaxation in peace.”
My coronary heart breaks for the household of Tori Bowie. A fantastic competitor and supply of sunshine. Your power and smile will all the time be with me. Relaxation in peace.
— ShellyAnnFraserPryce (@realshellyannfp) Might 3, 2023
U.S. sprinter Noah Lyle additionally reacted: “I can’t consider this. I had simply heard phrase of her going to be along with her sister again house and now this. This breaks my coronary heart to listen to and I’ll maintain the household in my prayers.
I can’t consider this. I had simply heard phrase of her going to be along with her sister again house and now this. This breaks my coronary heart to listen to and I’ll maintain the household in my prayers.
— Noah Lyles, OLY (@LylesNoah) Might 3, 2023
Along with topping the rostrum within the relay in Rio, Bowie captured silver within the 100m and bronze within the 200m on the 2016 Summer season Olympics.
Initially from Sand Hill, Miss., Bowie attended Pisgah Excessive College. There, she earned state titles within the 100m, 200m, 4x10m relay and lengthy bounce.
Incomes a full athletic scholarship on the College of Southern Mississippi, she twice gained gold within the lengthy bounce on the NCAA Ladies’s Indoor Observe and Discipline Championship. In keeping with her official bio at USA Observe and Discipline, Bowie was first athlete from the College of Southern Mississippi, male or feminine, to brush the lengthy bounce NCAA titles at each the indoor and out of doors occasions in a single season, a feat she completed between 2011 and 2010.
Bowie bookended her triumphs in Rio by taking bronze within the 100m on the 2015 World Athletic Championships in Beijing, and topping the rostrum within the 100m on the World Championships in London in 2017.
Davis earned bronze in Atlanta
Davis, in accordance with an obituary posted by World Athletics, was born in Eutaw, Ala., and attended Dorchester Excessive College, the place he was energetic each as a monitor athtlete and a soccer participant. He went to Wallace State Neighborhood Faculty earlier than transferring to the College of Arkansas.
At U of A, Davis gained the 1993 NCAA 400m out of doors title in New Orleans in 45.04. He gained his third NCAA title as a part of Arkansas’ distance medley relay squad in 1994. In 1995, Davis was on the profitable crew within the 4x400m on the World Indoor Championships in Spain, the place he positioned sixth within the particular person 400m.
Davis made his 400m hurdles debut the next yr. He completed third on the U.S. Championships in Atlanta in 48.32 to take his place on the crew for the Olympic Video games the next month. Davis ran 47.96 within the ultimate on the 1996 Video games, taking bronze behind U.S. teammate Derrick Adkins and Zambia’s Samuel Matete.
Davis competed on the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton and later targeted on teaching.
