Yulimar Rojas unable to defend Olympic triple jump title at Paris 2024 after suffering Achilles injury

ByNancy Gillen

Updated 13/04/2024 at 07:40 GMT

A torn Achilles has ruled out Venezuela's Yulimar Rojas from defending her triple jump title at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The 28-year-old shared on social media that she had undergone surgery this week after suffering the injury during a training session. Rojas is not only an Olympic triple jump champion – she is also a four-time world champion and the current world record holder.

Yulimar Rojas will be absent from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after injuring her Achilles tendon.

The 28-year-old is the reigning Olympic champion in the triple jump, having struck gold at the Tokyo Games in 2020 with a world record distance of 15.67 metres.

Rojas shared that she had torn her Achilles during a training session in Spain, experiencing an “intense pain” as she landed a jump. She was forced to undergo surgery earlier this week as a result.

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“My heart is broken and I want to say sorry that I will not be able to take part in Paris 2024,” Rojas posted on social media.

“Today I feel very emotionally affected by not being able to represent them, the desire to defend my Olympic title excited me enormously.

“Today I have to stop, understand this, recover and come back with a lot of strength to continue flying together.”

Rojas earned a gold medal at Tokyo 2020 after finishing with a silver at Rio 2016. The Venezuelan is also a four-time triple jump world champion, most recently retaining her title last year.

She also extended her world record jump to 15.74m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in 2022.

TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 02: Gold medalist Yulimar Rojas of Team Venezuela poses during the medal ceremony for the Women's Triple Jump on day ten of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 02, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Patrick Smith/G

Image credit: Eurosport

Rojas was considered the heavy favourite to retain her Olympic triple jump title at the Paris 2024 Olympics, which are scheduled to run from July 26 to August 11.

Her absence will benefit rivals such as Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, Shanieka Ricketts, Thea LaFond and Ana Peleteiro, who have all medalled behind Rojas at recent competitions.

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