New York (AFP) – Olympic 200m gold medallist Gabby Thomas has withdrawn from this month’s World Championships in Tokyo due to injury, she confirmed on Tuesday. A statement released by the 28-year-old US sprint star’s publicist said Thomas, who also won gold in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays at last year’s Paris Olympics, had been dealing with an Achilles tendon issue since May.
After the problem worsened in July, Thomas and her coach “made the difficult decision that there was not enough time for her to be fully healthy for World Championships in two weeks,” the statement said. Thomas looked short of her best form at the US trials in Eugene last month, finishing third in the 200m in a time of 22.20sec, well outside her personal best of 21.60sec.
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“I understand that it will be disappointing for some track fans to hear this news, but I’ve finally come to the realization that it’s OK to be human and take care of myself,” Thomas said in announcing her withdrawal. “As an athlete you always want to keep grinding, but sometimes you simply can’t outwork an injury. Sometimes it’s about patience and making the right decision for the long term.
“All the best to my Team USA teammates fighting for medals in Tokyo.” In a separate post on X, she later thanked well-wishers for their support following her announcement. “I love track and can’t wait to get back to myself and racing the best in the world. See you guys soon,” she posted.
The World Championships take place in Tokyo from September 13-21.
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