GLASGOW : Defending heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games, which begin in Glasgow on Thursday, as she continues her recovery from injury and shifts her focus to next month’s European Athletics Championships.
The 33-year-old won Commonwealth gold for England at the 2018 Gold Coast Games and successfully defended her title at Birmingham in 2022. She also claimed the Olympic silver medal at the Paris Games in 2024.
“I’m gutted to have to pull out of this year’s Commonwealth Games,” Johnson-Thompson wrote on Instagram. “I was so looking forward to competing on home soil and having the chance to defend my Commonwealth title.
“Although the injury I picked up earlier this season has improved, I haven’t been able to get back to the level I need to compete at my best.
“After discussing it with my team, we’ve made the difficult decision to focus on giving myself the best chance of being ready for the European Championships.
“Missing a championship is never easy, but I know it’s the right decision. I can’t wait to be back competing again soon.”
Team England said Johnson-Thompson was one of nine athletes to withdraw from its athletics squad ahead of the Games.
Fellow Olympic medallists Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita, Matthew Hudson-Smith and Amber Anning are also among the high-profile absentees from the England team.
The Commonwealth Games run from Thursday until Aug. 2, while the European Athletics Championships will be held in Birmingham from Aug. 10-16.
