Culture
Paige Greco, a Paralympic Gold Medalist, Passes Away at the Age of 28 Following an Unexpected Medical Episode
Paralympic Champion Paige Greco Dies at 28 After Sudden Medical Episode
Paralympic athletes are grieving the loss of one of their closest. Paige Greco—a gold medalist at the Paralympic Games in cycling—passed away at her home in Adelaide, Australia on Nov. 16 after a medical episode, South Australian officials told AusCycling. She was 28 years old.
“Paige was everything to us,” her mother, Natalie Greco, said in a press release. “Her loving nature, her determination, and her sunshine always touched our family. She gave so much happiness and pride to our lives, and the sorrow of her leaving is something that we will always have.”
Paige Greco’s Mum and Dad Could Not Have Been More Proud of the Way She Represented Australia
Natalie put the finger on it with her description of the influence her daughter’s achievements had in her brief life span. “Although her passing breaks our hearts, we are very proud of the person she was and the way she represented Australia,” she added. “We, as a family, are very thankful for the support which has been extended to us by people who were close to Paige, like her teammates and friends. Paige was very happy with the relationships that she made through her sport, and we find solace in the fact that she was loved by many,”
Paige Greco Remembered as “Extraordinary Athlete” and Record-Breaking Paralympic Champion
Paige turned the tables at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games with a historic performance by becoming the first athlete from Australia to win a gold medal in the event after smashing the record in the Women’s C1–3 3000m Individual Pursuit. Additionally, she brought home bronze medals in the Women’s C1–3 road race and time trial besides becoming a multiple World Champion title holder.
Marne Fechner, CEO of AusCycling, referred to Paige as “an extraordinary athlete,” and emphasized that she “realized outstanding accomplishments at the highest levels of our sport.” Fechner continued, “She was a wonderful human being who, with her infectious positive attitude and brave perspective, impacted everyone in her circle. We are sending our thoughts and prayers to Paige’s family, friends, teammates, the coaching staff, and the support crew, both past and present, during this very tough and sorrowful time.”
Paralympics Australia CEO Mourns the Loss of Paige Greco As “Devastating”
In the same manner, Trevor Paralympics Australia CEO Cameron Murray referred to the loss of Paige as “devastating”. ‘Paige was an extraordinary athlete, but more than that, a very special human being,’ he remarked. ‘Her meteoric rise to the top of the international competition was really quite phenomenal, but if I am to say it, it was her loving nature, her unassuming yet indomitable spirit and just the way she made others feel that really, really, will be the legacy of her for all of us.’
