Triple jumper Eldhose Paul out of Paris Olympics 2024 with heel bone fracture
Indian triple jumper Eldhose Paul recently took to Instagram to confirm that he is out of contention for the Paris Olympics 2024 due to a heel bone fracture that he sustained during one of the recent competitions. Last week in the JBL Jumps Fest, Eldhose Paul bagged the bronze medal, finishing with a jump of 16.45m.
However, the qualification standard for the Paris Olympics 2024 in men’s triple jump has been set at 17.22m.
“I wanted to take a moment to share a personal update with all of you. Over the past few months, I've been on an incredible journey striving towards qualifying for the Paris Olympics 2024. It's been a relentless journey filled with intense competitions, back-to-back travel, and pushing myself beyond limits I never thought possible,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Unfortunately, I sustained an injury during the last competition I took part in which occurred towards the end of the qualifying period. After returning to India and undergoing further evaluation, it's been concluded that I have a fracture in the calcaneus (heel bone) that requires immediate attention,” he added.
In a viral video doing the rounds on X (Formerly Twitter), Eldhose Paul can be seen taking giant strides before launching off the board with his dominant foot. However, he couldn’t make the attempt successful as he can be seen in discomfort on his left leg.
“This news means that my Olympic journey ends here” - Eldhose Paul
Nevertheless, Eldhose Paul is set to face the injury with a positive attitude, seeing it as a challenge rather than a setback. Despite being ruled out of the entire season, he stated that this is not the end of his story and that he will make a strong comeback.
“This news means that my Olympic journey ends here. Words cannot express how heartbreaking this is for me. Representing my country this year would have been the pinnacle of my career.
“However, as athletes, we understand that injuries are part of the sport and I choose to look forward with optimism. As I take this time to heal and recover, I am reminded that this is not the end of my story. Thank you for being part of my journey. Your support means everything,” he concluded.
Notably, Eldhose Paul became the first Indian to qualify for the triple jump final at the World Athletics Championships in 2022. At the Commonwealth Games in 2022, he went on to become the first Indian to secure a gold medal in the men's triple jump, bagging his personal best jump of 17.03m.