US Olympic champ Holcomb found dead

Olympic champion bobsledder Steven Holcomb has been found dead in his room at the US Olympic training centre.

Steven Holcomb of the USA-1 team

Olympic champion bobsledder Steven Holcomb has been found dead at a Lake Placid training centre. (AAP)

Olympic champion bobsledder Steven Holcomb was found dead in his room at the US Olympic training centre in Lake Placid.

The cause of the 37-year-old's death was not given in the online statement released by the US Olympic committee.

However, officials said there were no indications of foul play after the preliminary parts of an ongoing investigation were completed on the three-time Olympian, three-time Olympic medallist and five-time world champion.

"The entire Olympic family is shocked and saddened by the incredibly tragic loss today of Steven Holcomb," said Scott Blackmun, US Olympic Committee CEO.

"Steve was a tremendous athlete and even better person, and his perseverance and achievements were an inspiration to us all."

Holcomb competed for the US team in three consecutive Olympic Winter Games, piloting his team's sled - known as the "Night train" - to gold in the four-man bobsled in Vancouver in 2010.

The victory marked the first US gold medal in the event since 1948.

At the Sochi Olympics in 2014, Holcomb won bronze medals in both the two-man and four-man bobsled.

Holcomb suffered from Keratoconus, an eye disease which badly affected his sight at times during his career.

In his autobiography, the bobsledder wrote about his battles with depression, admitting to attempting suicide in 2007 when he was faced with having to end his career because of his eye problems.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.


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Source: AAP


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