5 athletes who withdrew from Paris Olympics bid due to Injury ft. Elaine Thompson-Herah

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Jul 21, 2024 06:40 GMT

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Elaine Thompson-Herah is one of the most decorated sprinters from Jamaica after Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Having won the 100 m, 200 m, and the 4x 100 m relay at Tokyo Olympics, the Jamaican sprinter was all set to make her country proud once again at Paris Olympics.

However, an Achilles injury at the New York City Grand Prix not only forced Elaine Thompson-Herah out of the race but also from the Paris Olympics altogether.

Here are some of the other top athletes who won't be taking part in the Paris Olympics due to unfortunate injuries:

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Five athletes who withdrew from Paris Olympics due to injury ft. Elaine Thompson-Herah

#5) Yulimar Rojas [Women's Triple Jump]

Like Elaine Thompson-Herah, this 28-year-old athlete from Venezuela is also one of the most decorated athletes in the women's triple jump. She is the defending world champion, the defending Olympic champion, as well as the current world record holder in this event.

Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela after winning the Triple Jump at Tokyo Olympics [Image Source: Getty]

However, like Elaine Thompson-Herah, Yulimar Rojas also suffered an Achilles injury during a training session in April, due to which she is compelled to give the Paris Olympics a miss.

#4) Shilese Jones [Women's Artistic Gymnastics]

Unlike Elaine Thompson-Herah, this 21-year-old American gymnast is more of a team player. She won the gold medal in the team all-around event at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships respectively.

Shilese Jones, a promising American gymnast forced to miss out on Paris Olympics due to injury [Image Source: Getty]

Paris Olympics was to be Shilese Jones' debut at the Summer Olympics. However, like Elaine Thompson-Herah, a knee injury during the trials forced her out of the Paris Olympics 2024.

#3) Gabby Douglas [Women's Artistic Gymnastics]

One of the esteemed members of 'The Fierce Five' of the USA female gymnastics team from London Olympics 2012, Gabby Douglas was all set to achieve a unique record.

Gabby Douglas [C] durng the Team All Around Finals at Rio Olympics [Image Source: Getty]

If she had made it to the U.S. Gymnastics team at Paris Olympics, Gabby Douglas would have become one of the oldest American gymnasts to take part since Helsinki 1952. Gabby Douglas is almost two years older than Simone Biles, who is the oldest participant in the American gymnastics team for Paris Olympics.

Unfortunately, in May 2024, Gabby Douglas injured herself, due to which she opted out of Paris Olympics. However, Douglas is far from disappointed and aims to break several records at Los Angeles Olympics, which will be held in 2028.

#2) Pierce Le Page [Men's Decathlon]

Initially, Pierce LePage was just another average athlete from Canada. However, after a fifth-place finish in the decathlon event at Tokyo Olympics, he followed a trajectory similar to Elaine Thompson-Herah, i.e. focusing on consistent improvement.

Pierce LePage of Canada after winning the Decathlon at World Championships 2023 [Image Source: Getty]

His efforts paid off when he first won a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships held in Eugene, Oregon. The very next year, Pierce LePage became the world champion, defeating Olympic champion and fellow teammate Damian Warner, and marking himself as a serious contender for an Olympic gold medal.

However, due to a serious disc injury [a herniated disc], Pierce Le Page won't be participating in the Paris Olympics 2024.

#1) Elaine Thompson-Herah [Women's 100 m]

Ever since she made her professional debut in 2015, Elaine Thompson-Herah became one of the most talked about sprinters in both Jamaica and the rest of the world. With five consecutive Olympic gold medals to her credit, this sprinter was expected to repeat her heroics at the Paris Olympics.

Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica [Extreme Left] crossing the finish line to win women's 200 m at Rio Olympics [Image Source: Getty]

While the 2023 season was almost average, the Jamaican sprinter still managed to earn a silver medal in the 4 x 100 m relay. However, while preparing herself for the Paris Olympics, Elaine Thompson-Herah suffered an Achilles injury at the New York City Grand Prix, due to which she had to bid goodbye to her Paris Olympics' dreams.