AN OLYMPIC athlete has tragically died after reportedly choking on her food.
Daniela Larreal Chirinos, a Venezuelan track cyclist, was found dead at her Las Vegas home last Friday when cops stormed inside to check on her.
Authorities were alerted when Larreal, 50, failed to show up at the hotel where she worked.
It is believed she has been dead since August 11 - one day before her concerned colleagues flagged it to cops.
Larreal is said to have died from asphyxiation, sources close to the investigation say.
The post-mortem reportedly found food in her windpipe, suggesting she died from choking.
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However, the Las Vegas police department has not yet confirmed the official cause of death.
Larreal raced in sprint disciplines of cycling, including Keirin, sprinting, and time trials.
She competed in five Olympic Games – Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, and London 2012.
Despite not winning medals at the Olympics, the Venezuelan cyclist won several gongs at South American games, Pan-American competitions, and Cycling World Cups.
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