Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Hurdles champion Pearson pulls out of Rio Games

Published 06/28/2016, 09:24 PM
Updated 06/28/2016, 09:24 PM
© Reuters. Australian Olympic team member Pearson poses  in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the official launch of the team uniforms for the 2016 Rio Olympics

© Reuters. Australian Olympic team member Pearson poses in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the official launch of the team uniforms for the 2016 Rio Olympics

(Reuters) - Australia's Olympic champion high hurdler Sally Pearson (LON:PSON) has pulled out of the Rio de Janeiro games after tearing her hamstring in training, local media reported on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old, who won gold in the 100 metres hurdles at the London Olympics, had battled back after being sidelined for a year by a wrist injury only to suffer the hamstring injury training at her base on the Gold Coast, the Sun Herald said.

An Athletics Australia spokesman was unable to confirm Person's withdrawal on Wednesday and said she would address the media on the Gold Coast on Thursday.

Pearson's hopes of defending her title in Rio had looked slim after the fall at the Golden Gala meeting in Rome last year, which so badly shattered her wrist she feared her left forearm might need to be amputated.

The 2011 world champion, who also won silver in the event at the 2008 Games in Beijing, missed the back end of the 2015 season and only returned to racing in Europe early this month.

Her results in three races in Birmingham, France and Oslo were disappointing, however, and she returned for a period of intense training in the warmer climes of her home town on the Queensland coast.

"I have left nothing in the tank on my return," Pearson wrote in a post on her website (http://sallypearson.com.au/) 10 days ago.

"Training has been intensely hard and I am exhausted from it but at this stage I have absolutely no other choice if I am going to be competitive in Rio."

© Reuters. Australian Olympic team member Pearson poses  in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the official launch of the team uniforms for the 2016 Rio Olympics

Pearson is likely to continue competing at least until the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which will take place on the Gold Coast.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.