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Rest in power, Tori Bowie. The Olympic Gold medalist dies at 32. As a former track athlete of color, this hits my heart differently than ever. Black women in sports have always been an inspiration to me. The Williams tennis sisters, Simone Biles, and Naomi Osaka are only a few women who make me proud as a Black man involved in sports. Black women in sports are game changers. Despite mistakes we as Black people have made in the past, we have persevered and strived for greatness in our sport. When we lose an athlete, we lose a part of us. When we lost Kobe, it felt as if the world took a long pause after losing such an inspiration to the sport of basketball. As Black people, we felt untouchable until times like these.

This is a sad day for the sport of track and field. The cause of Bowie’s death is still unknown yet it is essential for athletes, especially Black athletes, to take care of their physical and mental health. As a former high school athlete I struggled with this and the healing process took time. I remember not performing well during my last high school track meet and I wasn’t the same for a few years.