Former Olympic cyclist Daniela Larreal Chirinos is dead after she choked on food in her Las Vegas apartment, reports Fox Sportsand Spanish newspaper ABC. She was 50.
Police found the Venezuelan athlete deceased in her apartment on Friday, Aug. 16, after she was reported missing by her colleagues at a Las Vegas hotel when she failed to report to work on Monday, Aug. 12, a Fox Sports report translated from Spanish reads.
Although the Clark County Coroner’s Office told Fox News an official cause of death for Chirinosos is still pending, Fox Sports reported that police “concluded that the cause of death had been asphyxiation caused by solid food remains found in her trachea.”
The Venezuela Olympic Committee posted a tribute to Chirinosos on X (formerly Twitter)on Aug. 16.
“The COV Board of Directors regrets the departure of Daniela Larreal,” a translation of the statement read. “With an outstanding career in track cycling, he managed to represent us with honour in five Olympic Games, accumulate four Olympic diplomas and triumphs that always filled us with great pride.”
A photo of Chirinosos holding up a medal with her eyes closed and a flag draped around her shoulders was included in the post.
She was a five-time Olympian, having competed in Barcelona in 1992, Atlanta in 1996, Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004 and London in 2012.
Per Fox News, she was one of the most accomplished cyclists in her country and her best placement came in the Team Sprint final event in London, where she came in seventh. She was also a gold medalist in the Pan American Games and the Pan American Championships.
