Olympic Sprinter Tori Bowie Died From Complications of Childbirth

The autopsy report released about Tori Bowie, once again draws attention back to Black maternal mortality rates in the United States.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: Tori Bowie of the United States poses with the gold mdeal for the Women's 100 metres during day four of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Melanie Mitchell

Published June 13, 2023 04:04PM

Three-time Olympic medalist Tori Bowie died from complications related to childbirth according to the autopsy report released June 12 by the office of the medical examiner in Orange County, Florida, where Bowie was residing. She was 32 years old and eight months pregnant when it was reported in early May that she had died. Her child, a daughter, was reported as stillborn.

This draws attention back to Black maternal mortality rates in the United States, a figure that lies at 69.9 per 100,000 live births for 2021—almost three times the rate for white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bowie’s former agent Kimberly Holland told CBS News, “Unfortunately, so many people, including the media, are making speculations that she did something to herself, which is very hurtful. So hopefully, now knowing the truth, there will be many apologies.”

Tori Bowie at the Rio Olympics 2016 — RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 19: English Gardner, Allyson Felix, Tianna Bartoletta and Tori Bowie of the United States celebrate winning gold in the Women’s 4 x 100m Relay Final on Day 14 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 19, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo: Ian Walton/Getty Images)

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Bowie won three medals with Team USA to secure her legacy as one of the world’s most dominant sprinters. She took silver in the 100-meter dash, earned a bronze in the 200 and then ran the anchor leg on the winning 400-meter relay that included Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, and English Gardner. Bowie went on to win gold in the 100 at the World Athletics Championships in London the following year, and then finished fourth in the long jump competition at the 2019 world championships.

In March 2018, Bowie was the cover athlete on Women’s Running print magazine celebrating her achievements as one of the best sprinters of all time in the U.S.

Olympics Tori Bowie