Australia\u2019s athletics squad has suffered a double blow weeks out from the world championships in Tokyo, with rising sprinter Lachie Kennedy and genuine medal prospect Jemima Montag both ruled out with heartbreaking injuries.<\/p>\n
Kennedy, who, along with Gout Gout, is at the forefront of Australia\u2019s exciting emerging sprinting stock, revealed on Tuesday he has had to make the difficult decision to skip the worlds in Japan, which begin on 13 September.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s with a heavy heart I have to announce that I will not be competing at this year\u2019s world championships in Tokyo due to a progressing injury,\u201d Kennedy wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrateful for the year and the support I\u2019ve received, I wouldn\u2019t change a thing. I\u2019ll use this time to heal, grow and come back stronger than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
The news comes on the same day that dual Olympic walking medallist Montag also announced she had been forced to pull out of the championships due to surgery required on a problematic hamstring.<\/p>\n
Having already won silver at the 2023 world titles and bronze in the 20km and mixed marathon relay at last year\u2019s Paris Olympics, Montag was considered a chance to deliver gold for Australia in Tokyo.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowing at that point we would only have five or six weeks until Tokyo and that this hamstring tendon injury has the propensity to recur, ultimately the medical team decided it was best to fly home, get it operated on and prioritise the longer-term vision,\u201d Montag told AAP.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s such a heart-sinking moment because I\u2019d felt it before [at a training camp in June].<\/p>\n
Montag after winning bronze in the mixed marathon relay in Paris. Photograph: David Ramos\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been hoping and praying throughout the rehab that you\u2019ve got enough time, that you\u2019re simultaneously taking things slowly enough but also progressing quickly enough that you\u2019ll be good for the world championships when it matters. So feeling that sharp pain in the hammy for the second time was fairly heartbreaking.\u201d<\/p>\n
In June this year, Kennedy became just the second Australian to break the 10-second barrier over 100m<\/a>, clocking 9.98 seconds in Nairobi with the aid of a legal tailwind, beating Gout to the magical milestone.<\/p>\n