Injured Elaine Thompson-Herah will miss Paris 2024 Olympics
Five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah will not be able to defend her 100 and 200 metres titles at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The Jamaican sprint star was forced to withdraw from the Jamaican Track and Field Trials that begin on Thursday (27 June) with injury.
Thompson-Herah sustained an Achilles tendon injury during her last race at the New York Grand Prix in early June, where she clocked 11.48 seconds.
Shortly afterwards, she opted out of the 200m at the National Championships Trials, but was hopeful that she would still be able to compete for a slot in the 100m.
“It's never fun sharing news like this but at the New York Grand Prix, I felt something in the race and still insisted to push, couple steps to the line I realise something is really wrong," Thompson-Herah posted on Instagram on Wednesday (26 June).
"I sat on the ground because I couldn't apply any pressure to the leg whatsoever as I was carried off the track. I went quickly to get [a] medical check-up, and to find out that I have a small tear on my Achilles tendon.”
"I got back home with a strong mindset to keep pushing and prepare for my national trials … but the leg wouldn't allow me to."
Thompson-Herah, who turns 32 tomorrow (28 June), became the first woman to win back-back sprint doubles at the Olympics when she defended her titles at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The Achilles tendon injury has weighed her down since Rio 2016. She missed out on a medal at the 2017 and 2019 world championships but made the podium in the 4x100m relay and the 100m in Eugene in 2022.
Her last championships was 2023 in Budapest, where she only raced for her team in the heats of the 4x100m relay. Thompson-Herah was excluded from the team that won silver behind Team USA in the finals.