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A coroner’s investigation into the death of former Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore has unveiled heartbreaking accounts from her parents and uncovered disturbing claims of bullying after she accidentally disclosed a romantic involvement between a coach and a fellow athlete.
New Zealand cyclist Podmore, 24, took her own life in Waikato the day after the Tokyo Games concluded in August 2021.
The track cyclist did not make it to the Games and had shared a haunting post on Instagram highlighting the intense pressures of competing on an international stage just hours before she passed away.
Podmore inadvertently revealed the affair by sending a text message indicating that an athlete had not returned to the team hotel following a bike ride during a training session in France, six weeks prior to the Rio Olympics.
The athlete then allegedly returned to the hotel in a taxi with the coach.
The inquest heard Podmore was allegedly subjected to abuse from a coach who berated her over her sex life, and also on occasion allegedly whispered in her ear before races: ‘Just don’t f***ing crash.’
A coronial inquest into the death of former New Zealand Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore (pictured) has revealed she endured shocking instances of alleged bullying
Podmore, 24 (pictured with her mother Nienke) took her own life in Waikato the day after the Tokyo Olympics concluded in August of 2021
Her death was confirmed hours after Podmore outlined the pressures of competing at the highest level in a chilling final Instagram post
Additionally, the inquest heard other teammates allegedly sent bullying texts ordering Podmore to ‘keep your trap shut’ and labelled her a ‘mental case’.
Podmore’s last Instagram post began with the words ‘Peace out’ and went on to make accusations of blackmail and a cover-up in the sport.
She also wrote about her decision to have an abortion aged 16 and how she felt inadequate because her focus on the sport meant she hadn’t done some of the things society expected of young women.
‘Sport is an amazing outlet for so many people, it’s a struggle, it’s a fight but it’s so joyous,’ she posted.
‘The feeling when you win is unlike any other, but the feeling when you lose, when you don’t get selected even when you qualify, when you’re injured, when you don’t meet society’s expectations such a owning a house, marriage, kids all because [you’re] trying to give everything to your sport is also unlike any other.’
Her parents both broke down in tears as they told the hearing about the loss of their beloved daughter.
‘It’s now been three years and eight months since the worst day of my life,’ her mother Nienke Middleton said.
‘That day I had no idea why Livi took her own life.
Olivia Podmore is pictured competing in the women’s sprint event at the Track Cycling World Cup in Brisbane in 2019
‘The first I heard that Livi had been having health struggles was from [Sport NZ boss] Raelene Castle and Jacques Landry [former Cycling New Zealand CEO] on a television interview the next day.
‘People ask us what it’s like, does the pain face and have we managed to move on?
‘The answer is always no to these questions, we just live with it. I miss Livi just as much as the day I lost her.’
Podmore’s father Phil also revealed his devastation, saying, ‘We will always be proud of Liv and amazed at the courage she showed, lasting as long as she did throughout all of this.
‘We love her dearly and know she will live on through all the people she positively influenced in her short but wonderful life.’
According to the New Zealand Herald, lawyers acting on behalf of Cycling NZ and High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) looked to emphasise Podmore’s personal issues away from cycling, notably an abortion she had when she was a teenager and her parents’ separation.
Both organisations flagged these as significant contributors to Podmore’s mental deterioration.
In a closing submission, HPSNZ apologised for ‘distressing experiences Olivia endured’ and acknowledged the behaviour Podmore was subjected to was ‘unacceptable.’
Cycling NZ chief executive Simon Peterson also offered his apology in relation to what Podmore endured during the 2016-18 period surrounding the Bordeaux training camp controversy.
As the inquest reached its final day, Podmore’s mother Nienke Middleton stated that ‘culture starts from the top’ and in her view, ‘plenty is still left to do in order to achieve the real changes (that are) needed.’
Podmore competed in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio after picking up silver and bronze medals in the junior world championships in Astana in 2015.
She won the national keirin champion title in 2017 and also competed at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in the sprint, team sprint and keirin events.
If you or anyone you know is in need of mental health support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, for free confidential support.
