Gallagher, a member of the Pennsylvania Track and Field Hall of Fame, died of a stroke on Monday at Roxborough Memorial Hospital.

She was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1995 and suffered the first of two strokes in August.

Gallagher had surgery on her ovaries six months before winning a silver medal in the 800m in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

She also was anaemic and later had chronic fatigue syndrome and an infection of the fallopian tubes.

Yet she went on to win 800m bronze at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, after which she commented: "I felt like I was being stabbed in the stomach."

Gallagher's time that year was 1 minute 56.91 seconds, a personal best that still ranks third on the all-time US list behind Jearl Miles-Clark and Mary Decker Slaney.

Gallagher holds national high-school records for the 800m and 1500m, set 20 years ago at Upper Dublin High School in suburban Philadelphia.

She is survived by her mother Barbara, father John, husband John Corcoran and 13-year-old daughter Jessica Smith.