An Olympic cyclist has died suddenly at the age of 24, reportedly just hours after sharing a heartfelt Instagram post on the pressures of competing in sporting events..
Per Metro, New Zealand athlete Olivia Podmore had competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2018 Commonwealth Games - but had not been selected to represent her country at the Tokyo Games.
While her cause of death has not been reported, her loved ones had shared their concerns for her mental health.
According to The Mirror, just hours before she passed away, Podmore had opened up about the heartbreak that comes with losing a competition, not being selected at all, and not being able to compete to one's usual standard due to reasons out of one's control.
She shared her struggles in an Instagram post that has since been deleted, writing: "Sport is an amazing outlet for so many people, it’s a struggle, it’s a fight but it’s so joyous.
"The feeling when you win is unlike any other, but the feeling when you lose, when you don’t get selected even when you qualify, when [your're] injured, when you don’t meet society’s expectations such as owning a house, marriage, kids all because [you're] trying to give everything to your sport is also unlike any other."
As reported by Metro, police investigated a sudden death at a home in Waikato on New Zealand’s upper North Island at about 4 PM local time on Monday, August 9.
According to the paper, Podmore's friend and former Olympic rowing champion, 39-year-old Eric Murray said he was with her on Monday, describing her death as a "shock and a tragedy."
He said: "I wish she had said something We have lost a sister, a friend, and a fighter who lost that will of fight inside of her. If you had seen her in the last 72 hours, you wouldn’t have thought this could happen. That’s why there’s so much talk about mental health at the moment."
In a statement, per The Mirror, Cycling New Zealand said they were "deeply saddened with the loss of one of our young cyclists".
They added: "Olivia was a much loved and respected rider in our Cycling New Zealand squad. At this time we are providing support to our staff and riders, the cycling community, and those that were close to Olivia.
"Cycling New Zealand extend our deepest sympathies to Olivia’s family at this time and we ask that the media respect the privacy of Olivia’s family, friends, and our riders."
Podmore's tragic passing comes after high-profile athletes including tennis player Naomi Osaka and gymnast Simone Biles pulled out of events in order to prioritize their mental health.