Former Hammer Thrower Died From Pulmonary Embolism

In this Aug. 30, 2007 file picture, Poland's Kamila Skolimowska makes an attempt on her way to...

In this Aug. 30, 2007 file picture, Poland's Kamila Skolimowska makes an attempt on her way to finishing fourth in the Women's Hammer Throw final at the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan. Skolimowska has died aged 26 in a training camp in Portugal, the Polish track and field association announced Thursday Feb. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye, File)

(AP)

Preliminary autopsy results indicate that former Olympic hammer throw champion Kamila Skolimowska died from a pulmonary embolism.

Skolimowska, who won gold at the 2000 Sydney Games, died suddenly last Wednesday after collapsing ahead of a weightlifting session while training in Portugal.

Poland's track and field federation said in a statement posted on its Web site that the full results from the autopsy, which was carried out in Portugal, are expected later this week.

Skolimowska, 26, was in Portugal to begin training ahead of this year's World Championships in Berlin in August.

She won gold at the age of 17 when the women's hammer throw was contested for the first time at an Olympics. She failed to medal at the 2004 Athens Games or at last year's Beijing Olympics.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.