Olivia Podmore Explained

Olivia Podmore
Birth Date:24 May 1997
Birth Place:Christchurch, New Zealand
Death Place:Cambridge, Waikato, New Zealand
Height:174cm (69inches)
Role:Rider

Olivia Rose Podmore (24 May 1997 – 9 August 2021)[1] [2] was a New Zealand professional racing cyclist.[3] She represented her country at the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.[4]

Early life

Born in Christchurch in 1997, Olivia Podmore was the daughter of Philip and Nienke (née Tabak) Podmore. She had one elder brother, Mitchell. She was educated at Middleton Grange School.[5]

Career

Podmore started out cycling in BMX at age nine, later moving to road cycling and then to track cycling.

In 2015, Podmore moved to Cambridge in Waikato to train with the national cycling team.[6] That year, Podmore won silver alongside Emma Cumming in the team sprint and bronze in the time trial at the Junior Track World Championships in Astana.[7]

Podmore rode in the women's team sprint event at the 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships,[8] She also competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics, although she and her team-mate Natasha Hansen did not advance from the qualification round in the team sprint.[9] They finished ninth in the event. She crashed in the keirin event at the Games, and finished 25th in the event.[10] She also came 23rd in the heats of the individual sprint event at the Games.[11]

In 2017, Podmore was the New Zealand keirin champion.[12] At that year's Oceania Track Championships, Podmore came second in the 500 metres time trial event, and she came second alongside Emma Cumming in the team sprint event.[13] She competed for New Zealand at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.[14] She was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the individual sprint competition,[15] and came sixth in the keirin event at the Games.[16] She won the 500 metres time trial event at the 2019 Oceania Track Cycling Championships,[17] and competed in the team sprint event at the 2019 UCI Track Cycling World Championships.[18] She competed in the same event at the 2020 Championships.[19]

Podmore reached the qualification criteria for the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics, but was not selected by the New Zealand Olympic Committee.[20]

Death

Podmore died in Cambridge on the evening of 9 August 2021, aged 24. Her death is a suspected suicide and was referred to the coroner. Hours before her death, she posted on Instagram about the pressures of high-performance sport. Podmore's funeral was held in Christchurch on 13 August 2021.[21] She was buried in Christchurch's Yaldhurst cemetery.[22]

In September 2021, Cycling New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) appointed former New Zealand solicitor-general, Mike Herron, and Professor Sarah Leberman to co-chair an inquiry. Also sitting on the panel are Dr Lesley Nicol and rowing Olympic medalist, Genevieve Macky. The terms of reference of the inquiry included:[23] [24] [25]

  1. assessing the adequacy of the implementation of the recommendations from the 2018 Heron Report; identification of areas of further improvement that would ensure the wellbeing of athletes, coaches, support staff and others involved in Cycling New Zealand’s high performance programme are a top priority within the environment
  2. assessment of the support offered to athletes at critical points within Cycling New Zealand’s high performance programme (by both Cycling New Zealand and HPSNZ), with a particular emphasis on induction, selection and exit transitions;
  3. assessment of the impact that HPSNZ investment and engagement has on Cycling New Zealand’s high performance programme;
  4. assessment of the impacts of high performance programmes which require elite athletes to be in one location for most of the year, with a particular focus on Cambridge; and
  5. an understanding of what steps can be taken to improve current and future practices, policies and governance of Cycling New Zealand’s high performance programme with a view to ensuring the safety, wellbeing and empowerment of all individuals within that environment.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Olympian cyclist Olivia Podmore's family mourn her sudden death . . 9 August 2021 . 9 August 2021 . 9 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210809174145/https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/300378726/olympian-cyclist-olivia-podmores-family-mourn-her-sudden-death . live .
  2. Web site: Olivia PODMORE Death Notice - Christchurch, Canterbury . 10 August 2021. 11 August 2021. The Press. 10 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210810185511/https://deaths.press.co.nz/obituaries/the-press-nz/obituary.aspx?n=olivia-podmore&pid=199725815. live.
  3. Web site: Olivia Podmore . 2 March 2016 . Cycling Archives . 6 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306090821/http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=97070 . live .
  4. Web site: 9 February 2016. Liv Podmore. 10 August 2021. New Zealand Olympic Team. 5 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805195725/http://www.olympic.org.nz/athletes/liv-podmore/. live.
  5. Web site: Egan. Brendon. 8 April 2014. Podmore powers her way through to junior worlds. live. 9 August 2021. Stuff. 10 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210810101841/https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/youth-sport/9919348/Podmore-powers-her-way-through-to-junior-worlds.
  6. Web site: Mealing. Fleur . Olivia Podmore unfazed at Rio cycling crash as she approaches World Cup season . Stuff . 19 September 2016. 10 August 2021. 9 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210809174250/https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/youth-sport/84426302/olivia-podmore-unfazed-at-rio-cycling-crash-as-she-approaches-world-cup-season. live.
  7. News: New Zealand Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore dies aged 24 . 9 August 2021. 9 August 2021. . 10 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210810101843/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/new-zealand-olympic-cyclist-olivia-podmore-dies-aged-24/YQSZCDQYGMPAB7BXWDMMFUBXYU/. live.
  8. Web site: Women's Team Sprint Qualifying Start List 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. Tissot Timing. 2 March 2016. 2 March 2016 . 6 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306091448/http://www.tissottiming.com/File/Download?id=00030D0001021563FFFFFFFFFFFFFF01 . live .
  9. Web site: Geenty . Mark . Rio Olympics 2016: Odd shaped track stymies New Zealand pursuit team . 14 August 2016 . Stuff . 13 August 2016 . 17 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170817211234/http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/83133932/rio-olympics-2016-new-zealand-to-ride-for-team-pursuit-bronze-at-the-velodrome . live.
  10. Ballinger. Alex . Cycling world mourns death of Olympian Olivia Podmore . . 10 August 2021. 11 August 2021.
  11. Web site: Cycling Track Women's Sprint - Qualifying Results . 8 October 2016 . 14 August 2016 . Rio 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161010153354/https://assetrio2016.azureedge.net/_odf-documents/c/t/CTW001900_Results_2016_08_14_bd176631_eb7d_4362_9bac_e1253512ff77.pdf . 10 October 2016 . live.
  12. News: Olivia Podmore: New Zealand Olympic cyclist dies aged 24 . . 10 August 2021. 12 August 2021.
  13. Results Book. . 23 November 2017 . 72, 82 . 10 August 2021.
  14. Web site: Whaling. James . Jones. Victoria . Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore dies aged 24. Wales Online. 10 August 2021. 10 August 2021. 10 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210810101844/https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/olympic-cyclist-olivia-podmore-dies-21270333. live.
  15. Web site: Cycling Track Women's Sprint - Quarterfinals Results . 6 April 2018 . 6 April 2018. Gold Coast 2018 . 6 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180406074955/https://results.gc2018.com/resCG2018-/pdf/CG2018-/CTR/CG2018-_CTR_C73E4_CTRWSPRINT------------QFNL--------.pdf . live .
  16. Web site: Results - Women's Keirin Finals 1-6. 2018 Commonwealth Games. 8 April 2018. 10 August 2021. 6 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181106005238/https://results.gc2018.com/en/cycling-track/results-women-s-keirin-fnl-000100-.htm . live.
  17. News: Podmore wins time trial gold . . 18 October 2019. 10 August 2021. 19 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210119182122/https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/cycling/podmore-wins-time-trial-gold. live.
  18. Web site: Women's Team Sprint Qualifying Results 2019 UCI Track Cycling World Championships . Tissot Timing. 27 February 2019. 12 October 2021.
  19. Web site: Women's Team Sprint Qualifying Results 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. Tissot Timing . 26 February 2020. 12 October 2021.
  20. Web site: George. Zoe . Eddie Dawkins: cyclist Olivia Podmore's death was 'avoidable' . Stuff. 10 August 2021. 10 August 2021. 10 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210810101842/https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/300379414/eddie-dawkins-cyclist-olivia-podmores-death-was-avoidable. live.
  21. News: 12 August 2021 . Olivia Podmore's life to be celebrated at funeral in Christchurch on Friday . 12 August 2021 . . 12 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210812220605/https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/300381808/olivia-podmores-life-to-be-celebrated-at-funeral-in-christchurch-on-friday . live.
  22. Web site: Podmore Olivia Rose. Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Database. 10 September 2021.
  23. Cycling New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand announce details of Independent Inquiry . CNZ and HPSNZ Independent Inquiry . . 21 September 2021 . 30 November 2021.
  24. News: George, Zoë . Independent inquiry established following Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore's death . . 19 August 2021 . 30 November 2021.
  25. News: Johannsen, Dana . Mike Heron to head fresh inquiry into Cycling NZ following the death of Olivia Podmore . . 17 September 2021 . 30 November 2021.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Olivia Podmore".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.