‘I’ll be back’ vows double sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah after ruling herself out of Olympics
Elaine Thompson-Herah will not compete in the Paris Olympics this summer
Five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah has vowed "I will be back" after revealing an Achilles injury has forced her to withdraw from this summer's Games in Paris.
Thompson-Herah successfully defended both her Rio 2016 100m and 200m golds three years ago in Tokyo, where she was also part of Jamaica's winning 4x100m relay team.
The sprinter had to be carried off the track at the New York Grand Prix earlier this month after sustaining what she later learned was an Achilles tear, but was hoping to recover in time for Jamaica's Olympic athletics trials this weekend.
The 31-year-old, who turns 32 on Friday, wrote on Instagram: "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, a couple of steps to the line I realised something was really wrong.
"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 found out that I have a small tear on my Achilles tendon.
"Funnily enough I got back home with a strong mindset to keep pushing and prepare for my national trials - another shot at my third Olympics - but the leg wouldn't allow me to.
"It's a long road but I am willing to start over and keep working and to make a full recovery and resume my track career. I am hurt and devastated to be missing the Olympics this year but at the end of the day it's sport and my health comes first.
"Not the birthday gift I was hoping for but God whatever you have in store for me I will wait and I will still continue to work towards my goals that I haven't achieved yet. I will be definitely watching, hopefully from the stands and cheering my country.
"I will be back."
