Former US track star Allyson Felix mourns ‘black maternal mortality crisis’ after Tori Bowie’s death… as three members of 2016 US 4x100m relay team ‘died or nearly died in childbirth’ »
- Bowie died on May 2 and was ‘in labor at the time of her death’
- Two of her 2016 4x100m teammates detailed their pregnancy difficulties
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Former Team USA track and field star Allyson Felix has urged his country to “do more” following the death of former teammate Tori Bowie.
Bowie was found dead last month at age 32. An autopsy report from the Orange County, Florida Medical Examiner’s Office obtained by USA TODAY Sports said the Olympian was “in labor at the time of her death”.
According to the report, Bowie may have experienced respiratory distress or eclampsiaa rare condition that can cause seizures.
Tributes poured in for the three-time Olympic medalist from 2016, who was described as a ‘queen’ by Sha’Carri Richardson. On Tuesday, Felix shared a message from fellow 2016 4x100m gold medalist Tianna Madison.
“THREE of the FOUR of us who ran the SECOND fastest 4x100m relay ever, the 2016 Olympic Champions nearly died or died in childbirth,” Madison’s post began.
Allyson Felix shared a message from her 4x100m teammate Tianna Madison regarding motherhood
Felix, English Gardner, Tianna Madison (Bartoletta) and Tori Bowie celebrate gold at Rio 2016
Felix responded via his Instagram Story, reiterating the stat before saying; ‘It’s absolutely heartbreaking.
“We continue to face a black maternal mortality crisis in this country. We need to do more.
Bowie, Felix, Madison and English Gardner are all African American women. Felix suffered life-threatening pre-eclampsia when he was 32 weeks pregnant and had to give birth by emergency cesarean section.
Madison detailed her own difficult pregnancy in the same post on Tuesday.
“Even though I went into labor at 26 weeks, we went to the hospital with my advance medical directive AND my will,” she wrote.
Bowie makes a gesture of gratitude after the women’s 100m final on Day 8 of the 2016 Olympics
Bowie, who died May 2 at age 32 in Florida, and was believed to have been in labor at the time
“Also, I had a VERY difficult conversation with [her partner] on who to save if it came down to that. I was NOT AT ALL convinced that I would be going home,” she added.
A PA report from March, revealed that black women had the highest maternal mortality rate and cited the CDC statistic; 69.9 per 100,000 live births in 2021.
AP inferred that this was born out of pre-existing health issues, combined with and somewhat induced by “racial health disparities.”
The Felix, Gardner, Madison and Bowie quarterback won Rio 2016 with a time of 41.01 seconds, ahead of Jamaica and Great Britain.
