First Woman to Win Olympic Gold for Mexico, Dies of Heart Attack at 35 Associated Press
go to original March 29, 2013

In this Sept. 18, 2000 file photo, gold medalist Soraya Jimenez of Mexico, center, is flanked by silver medalist Song Hui Ri of North Korea, left, and bronze medalist Khassaraporn Suta of Thailand in the podium of the women’s 58 kg weightlifting competition of the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. (David Guttenfelder/Associated Press)

MEXICO CITY — Soraya Jimenez, the weightlifter who won a gold medal in 2000 in Sydney to become Mexico’s first female Olympic champion, has died of a heart attack. She was 35.

The Mexican Olympic Committee released a statement on Thursday saying it was “in mourning” following Jimenez’s death.

After retiring from weightlifting because of various injuries, Jimenez became a sportscaster for the Televisa television network.

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Maria Espinoza won a gold medal in taekwondo, the only other Mexican woman to win an Olympic gold.

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!