Former New Zealand Olympic Cyclist Olivia Podmore dies at 24

Olivia Podmore, a track cyclist for New Zealand who competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics and in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, has died, at  the age of 24. The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) confirmed in a statement that former New Zealand Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore has died. In an official statement on their website, NZOC said, “The New Zealand Olympic Committee is deeply saddened by the loss of Olympian #1333 and Cyclist Olivia Podmore. 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. 

Olivia represented New Zealand with honour and pride at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. She was a valued team member, and her loss will be felt across the New Zealand Sporting Community”. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Podmore won silver in the team sprint and bronze in the time trial at the 2015 Junior World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, to qualify her for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. She represented New Zealand at Rio 2016 and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in cycling track events, including the team sprint, the keirin and the individual sprint. She did not represent New Zealand at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. In 2017, Podmore was the national New Zealand keirin champion.