Mark Lenzi, who won Olympic diving gold for the United States in 1992, has died at the age of 43.
“USA Diving is truly saddened by the passing of Olympic champion Mark Lenzi,” USA Diving chairman Bob Rydze said in a statement posted on the federation’s website.
“As an Olympic gold and bronze medalist, Mark was one of our country’s greatest divers, and he will be missed tremendously.”
Lenzi won the gold medal in the 3-meter springboard at the 1992 Games in Barcelona and earned bronze in the same event at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
He was the first diver to score more than 100 points on a single dive.
Indiana University, which Lenzi had attended, first announced his death on Monday, saying he died in Greenville, North Carolina.
The cause of his death was not immediately known, but the Free Lance-Star in Fredricksburg, Virginia, Lenzi’s hometown, reported he had been in hospital in Greenville after experiencing fainting spells.
USA Diving’s website offered friends and fans a place to post messages of condolences for Lenzi’s family. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, his mother, two brothers and one sister.
American diving great Greg Louganis was quick to offer his sympathy.
“Mark and I spoke just a few weeks ago, my heart goes out to you,” Louganis wrote on the USA Diving site. “There are no words to express how heartfelt a loss this is. Healing hugs, Greg.”
