Allyson Felix hopes team-mate Tori Bowie's death 'not in vain' as she cites healthcare failures for black women
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Published 16/06/2023 at 16:23 GMT
Following the news that Tori Bowie's death in May, aged 32, came as a result of complications in childbirth, Allyson Felix has described a "crisis" in the disparity of maternal healthcare outcomes for black women and white women in the United States. Felix revealed she and another team-mate, Tianna Madison, had both come close to death during their own pregnancies.
Tori Bowie has passed away at the age of 32.
Image credit: Getty Images
Olympian Tori Bowie’s team-mate Allyson Felix has called for improved maternity healthcare for black women to make sure that Bowie’s death is “not in vain”.
American athlete Bowie died in May aged 32 after complications during childbirth, and three of the four American Olympians in the Rio 2016 4x100m relay team have died or come close to death during childbirth.
Writing in Time magazine, Felix recalled that she gave birth in 2018, also aged 32, and was "unsure if she was going to make it" due to pre-eclampsia.
The pair’s team-mate Tianna Madison (nee Bartoletta) confirmed that she almost died when she went into labour at 26 weeks.
Felix wrote: "Three gold medallists from that 4x100m relay team in Rio set out to become mothers. All three of us - all Black women - had serious complications.
"Tori passed away. We're dealing with a black maternal health crisis. Here you have three Olympic champions and we're still at risk."
Felix cited CDC data from 2021 which shows that the maternity mortality rate for black women in the United States is more than two times higher than for white women.
Felix continued: "That needs to change, now, especially in light of Tori's tragic passing.
"Awareness is huge. Serena Williams had near-death complications during her pregnancy. Beyonce developed pre-eclampsia.
"I hate that it takes Tori's situation to put this back on the map and to get people to pay attention to it. But oftentimes, we need that wake-up call."
She added: "I'm hopeful that things can get better.
"I'm hopeful that Tori, who stood on the podium at Rio, gold around her neck and sweetness in her soul, won't die in vain."
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