CHAMPION

Olympic Judo Star ‘La Mole’ Dies at 34 After Heart Attack

The judoka died after undergoing breast augmentation surgery.

Olympic judo star Maricet Espinosa Gonzalez has died at the age of 34, according to TMZ. The Cuban judoka died of a heart attack after undergoing breast augmentation surgery on Sunday. “La Mole,” as Gonzalez was known, was a two-time winner of the Pan American Judo Championship in 2013 and 2014. She also won two silver medals at the continental judo championships in 2016, and the same year she represented Cuba at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She retired in 2017. The Cuban Sports University announced Gonzalez’s passing in a Facebook post on Monday. “On behalf of our teachers, workers and students, our deepest condolences go to their families, friends and colleagues,” the post read.