Elaine Thompson-Herah set to miss defence of Olympic 200m title at Paris 2024
Elaine Thompson-Herah won 200 metres gold at the last two Olympic Games (Getty Images)
Five-times Olympic gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah will not defend her 200 metres 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 Jamaican Athletics Championships, which run from June 27 to June 30. The deadline to register passed on Monday.
Thompson-Herah, the first woman to win back-to-back sprint doubles at the Olympics 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, who also works with compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, as her new coach in November following her split with Shanikie Osbourne.
The Jamaican is the second fastest woman in history but struggled with injuries in 2023, missing out on selection in any of the individual events for the World Championships in Budapest.
The athletics programme at the Paris Olympics takes place from August 1 to August 11 at the Stade de France.
Reuters