KINGSTON: Jamaica’s double Olympic sprint silver medallist Yohan Blake has been ruled out for the rest of the 2014 season after undergoing a surgery on an injured hamstring, coach Glen Mills said yesterday.
The 24-year-old sustained the injury in the 100 metres at the Glasgow Grand Prix on July 11.
“Right now he’s on crutches, he had to have an operation a couple of days ago,” said Mills.
“The injury was quite severe and the original prognosis was misdiagnosed and he went Germany and when they had a good look, they realised that it was more serious and required surgery, so he’ll be out for quite a long time.”
Blake, who could not defend his 100m world title in Moscow last year because of a hamstring injury, had opted against racing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow to concentrate on his build-up to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
“I am down but just a little. I’m still going to fight even harder for everyone who continues to support me,” Blake said in his Facebook message as he vowed fans to fight back.
“I feel I owe it to the sport and the fans. Thanks for all the good wishes. It really means a lot,” added the 2011 world 100m champion.
Meanwhile,Katarina Johnson-Thompson, favourite to win gold in the women’s heptathlon at the Commonwealth Games, announced she was withdrawing after suffering a foot injury.
The 21-year-old Briton said: “I’m absolutely devastated that I’m not going to be able to compete at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
“I was so looking forward to competing in another home games and this time as one of the favourites.”
Johnson-Thompson is still hoping to recover in time to compete in the long jump at the European Championships in Zurich next month.
She added: “My season so far with a World Indoor medal in the long jump, winning at Gotzis and becoming World number one in heptathlon had really given me the confidence going in to the Games that I could post a big score and hopefully come away with that gold medal.
“But sadly it’s just not meant to be.”
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