Olympics-Jamaica's Thompson-Herah won't defend 200m title at Paris Games
FILE PHOTO: Athletics - Diamond League - Memorial van Damme - King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium - September 8, 2023 Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah in action during the women's 100m REUTERS/Yves Herman
(Reuters) - Five-times Olympic gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah will not defend her 200m title at next month's Paris Games after opting not to compete in the event at the upcoming Jamaican trials.
The sprinter is only registered to compete in the 100m at the June 27-30 Jamaican Athletics Championships. The deadline to register passed on Monday.
Thompson-Herah, the first woman to win back-to-back Olympic sprint doubles when she retained her 100m and 200m titles in Tokyo, finished last in her season-opening 100m last month, clocking 11.30 seconds at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.
She last competed in the 200m in April 2023 and appeared to sustain an injury during the 100m at the NYC Grand Prix earlier this month, finishing in 11.48.
The 31-year-old appointed Reynaldo Walcott as her new coach in November following her split with Shanikie Osbourne.
The athletics competition at the Paris Olympics takes place from Aug. 1-11 at the Stade de France.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)