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Katarina Johnson-Thompson out of Commonwealth Games with foot injury Katarina Johnson-Thompson out of Commonwealth Games with foot injury
(34 minutes later)
Katarina Johnson-Thompson has been forced to pull out of the Commonwealth Games after suffering a foot injury in training. Katarina Johnson-Thompson has pulled out of the Commonwealth Games after doctors warned her that she risked long-term damage to an injured foot if she competed.
It is a huge blow for the 21-year-old heptathlete, who set a string of personal bests in 2014 and was the favourite for gold in Glasgow after beating the world’s best at the Hypo-Meeting in Götzis last month. Her battle with the Canadian Brianne Theisen-Eaton, who won silver at the world championships in Moscow, was expected to be among the highlights of the Games. It is a huge blow for the 21-year-old heptathlete, who admitted she was “absolutely devastated” to withdraw with a stress reaction in her foot picked up in training last week. She had set a string of personal bests in 2014 and was the favourite for gold in Glasgow after winning the prestigious Hypo-Meeting in Götzis in June.
Johnson-Thompson has been having extensive treatment on the injury, but finally decided to pull out on Monday after being told by medics that competing would put too much strain on her foot. “The Commonwealths was a key target for me this year and I was feeling so good in my preparation up so this is a real blow,” said Johnson-Thompson. “My season so far with a world indoor medal in the long jump, winning at Götzis and becoming world No1 in heptathlon had really given me the confidence that I could come away with that gold medal – but sadly it’s just not meant to be.”
Only nine days ago she smashed her long jump personal best by 11cm as she leapt 6.92m at the Diamond League meeting at Hampden Park. And she recently told the Guardian that the whole family were planning were getting a minibus and driving to Glasgow to watch her compete at the Games. “The Commonwealths are going to feel like a world championship or even an Olympic Games,” she said. “I’m at my best in that kind of atmosphere. Johnson-Thompson’s battle with the Canadian Brianne Theisen-Eaton, who won silver at the world championships in Moscow, was expected to be one of the highlights of the Games. Only nine days ago the Liverpudlian smashed her long jump personal best by 11cm as she leapt 6.92m at the Diamond League meeting at Hampden Park.
“That’s the kind of athlete I am. I like to step up to the occasion. It brings out the best performance in me.” She now has to focus on getting fit in time for next month’s European Championships in Zurich. “All the advice is telling me that I risk long-term damage if I compete in a heptathlon in just over a week’s time and I have to take that advice for the sake of my career,” she said. “I really hope to be able to compete in the long jump at the European Championships next month but it doesn’t take away how gutted I am that I won’t be at the Commonwealths.”
Unfortunately Johnson-Thompson must now look forward to other targets. She still hopes to be fit in time for the European championships in Zurich, where she is scheduled to compete in the long jump. Neil Black, British Athletics’ performance director, said he believed that Johnson-Thompson would return later in the summer. “We’re confident that with treatment and careful management she will still be in a position to compete in the long jump at the European Championships,” he added. “But a heptathlon starting next week could result in long-term damage.”