The Olympic sprint champion died during childbirth earlier this year. But she was far from an anomaly in a troubled US health system
The last time Tianna Madison saw Tori Bowie alive was at a meet in Gainesville, Florida. This was in April 2021 – back when the rival sprinters were on separate quests to regain the form that powered them to gold in the 4x100m at the 2016 Olympics. Bowie was one of track and field’s most striking personalities, a speed demon as well as a style icon, the elite runner whose go-to accessory was a colorful hair scarf. Madison always looked forward to sharing the spotlight with her. There were hugs, pleasantries and no hard feelings when Madison beat Bowie in the 100m – the pair finished second and ninth, respectively
“At a meet, I always want to circle back and catch up with people,” Madison says. “But it’s also work; you race, you’re sweaty, exhausted, hungry …”
