triple jumper Nathan Douglas to miss rest of season after freak training accident
Nathan Douglas, the 2006 European triple jump silver medallist, has been ruled out of competitive action for the entire season after suffering a freak injury during a UK Athletics warm-weather training camp in Italy.
Bitter blow: Triple jumper Nathan Douglas ruptured ankle ligaments at a training camp in Italy Photo: EPA
By Simon Hart
6:54PM BST 02 Jun 2011
Comments
The Oxford-born athlete was hopping onto a plyometric box, a common training exercise for jumpers, when his foot right went straight through it, rupturing his ankle ligaments.
The accident is a bitter blow for the 28 year-old, who will now have to wait until next year for a chance to jump the qualifying standard for the London Olympics.
“I will be doing everything within my power to get fit and healthy as quickly as possible while aiming to compete in the 2012 indoor season,” he said.
The accident happened on the final day of the training camp in Formia, where Douglas had been working well and looking back to his best after being troubled with various injuries since 2006.
The UK Athletics head coach, Charles van Commenee, said: “After four years of having to deal with various injury problems it was looking like this season Nathan was going to be better than ever before.
“It’s a real blow that in literally his last session on his last day of warm-weather training he has once again suffered misfortune, and there was nothing he or his coach could have done to have prevented it.
“The injury will cost him his 2011 season, but I have been impressed by what I saw of Nathan prior to this setback and I am confident he can still achieve something special in 2012.”
Meanwhile, American drug cheat Justin Gatlin will compete in his first Diamond League meeting after being given a lane in the 100 metres in Saturday's Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
His invitation raises further questions about the treatment of Dwain Chambers, who continues to be shunned by the big athletics meetings after his own drug violation.
ankle ligaments, prefontaine classic, justin gatlin, triple jumper, silver medallist, freak injury online, weather training, bitter blow, warm weather, london olympics, formia, entire season, last session, head coach, eugene oregon, triple jump, jumpers, misfortune, setback, bst
No comments:
Post a Comment