Four-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist Yulimar Rojas, often hailed as one of the greatest triple jumpers of all time, has regrettably announced her withdrawal from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games due to a devastating injury.
In a heartfelt statement addressed to her homeland of Venezuela, the Olympic and Sports Movement, and her dedicated followers, Rojas expressed her deep sorrow over her inability to compete in the upcoming Games. She revealed that during training, while executing a jump, she experienced intense pain that was later diagnosed as an injury to her left Achilles tendon.
“To my Venezuela, to the family of the Olympic and Sports Movement, especially to my followers; I want to inform you that I will not be able to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” she wrote.
“With great pain and sadness, I want to tell you that while training by falling downhill from a jump I was in intense pain that was diagnosed with an injury to my left Achilles tendon,” Rojas stated.
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The news comes as a blow to Yulimar Rojas, who had been eagerly preparing to defend her Olympic title in Paris after securing victory in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Rojas expressed her profound disappointment at being unable to represent her country on the world stage once again.
“It has been very complex hours, in which I have questioned and analyzed why this has happened, yet I understand that, in God’s designs, we are only instruments of His will,” Rojas shared. “Today I feel very emotionally affected by not being able to represent them, the desire to defend my Olympic title excited me enormously but today I have to stop, understand this, recover and come back with a lot of strength to continue flying together.”
Despite the setback, Rojas expressed gratitude to her family, friends, and support team for standing by her during this difficult time. She also extended her appreciation to her sponsors and sporting institutions in Venezuela for their unwavering support throughout her career.
“I wish you a lot of success to our Venezuelan delegation in Paris 2024, since I am already very proud of you, and to my track mates, who do their best to reach also the glory,” Rojas added.
Rojas concluded her statement with a hopeful message, expressing her intentions to return to competition with the same dreams and determination.
The announcement marks a somber moment for the athletics world, as one of its brightest stars faces a challenging road to recovery. Nevertheless, Rojas’s resilience and unwavering spirit serve as a testament to her remarkable character, and fans around the world eagerly await her triumphant return to the track.
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