NZ Olympic cycling representative Olivia Podmore dies

Cyclist Olivia Podmore, who represented New Zealand at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has died today aged 24.

Her family confirmed the news in a social media tribute after she had uploaded a concerning Instagram post this afternoon, which has since been taken down.

In the post, Podmore, who didn't go to the Tokyo Olympics, detailed the pressures of competing at the highest level.

"Sport is an amazing outlet for so many people. It's a struggle, it's a fight, but it's so joyous," she wrote.

"The feeling when you win is unlike any other, but the feeling when you lose, when you don't get selected even when you qualify when you injured when you don't meet society's expectations such as owning a house, marriage, kids all because you're trying to give everything to your sport is also unlike any other."

Podmore competed with Natasha Hansen in the team sprint event at the Rio Olympics.