Australian Paralympic gold medalist Paige Greco has died at the age of 28.
Paralympics Australia and AusCycling said in a statement on Monday: “It emerged on Sunday that Paige passed away in her Adelaide home after experiencing a sudden medical episode, according to South Australian authorities.”
Greco won a gold medal at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo in the C1-3 women’s pursuit and also claimed two bronze medals in the road time trial C1–3 and in the road race C1–3.
Her mother, Natalie Greco, said she “meant everything to us” in a statement via Paralympics Australia.
“Her kindness, her determination and her warmth touched our family every single day,” she said. “She brought so much joy and pride into our lives, and the pain of her passing is something we will carry forever.
“While we are devastated by her loss, we are incredibly proud of the person she was and the way she represented Australia.
“As a family, we are deeply grateful for the support shown by so many people connected to Paige, including her team-mates and friends. Paige cherished the connections she made through her sport, and we take comfort in knowing how widely she was loved.”
Paralympics Australia and AusCycling paid tribute to a “world-class competitor across both track and road disciplines”.
AusCycling chief executive officer Marne Fechner said in a statement: “We are heartbroken by the tragic news of Paige’s death. Paige was an extraordinary athlete who achieved outstanding accomplishments at the highest levels of our sport. Much more than that, she touched the lives of everyone around her with her positive spirit and courageous outlook.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with Paige’s family, friends, teammates, coaches and support staff, past and present, during this incredibly sad and difficult time.”
Greco at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics (Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images)
Greco had cerebral palsy and was in the C3 class, categorised by Paralympics Australia as for “riders with impairments in one to two limbs”.
Greco was a multiple-time world championship medalist across both cycling disciplines, winning three gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the Track World Championships and claiming one gold and three bronzes at the Road World Championships.
Her last medal came at the Road World Championships in Ronse, Belgium in August, where she came third in the C3 road race.
Paralympics Australia and AusCycling said that Greco’s “relentless work ethic and unwavering positivity made her a role model to team-mates and emerging athletes throughout Australia.”
They added that they “will continue to work closely with the Greco family and others affected by Paige’s passing to provide support and to honour her legacy appropriately.”
