Commonwealth Games hit by athlete withdrawals
The Commonwealth Games have suffered a major setback before a single medal has been awarded after a host of England’s biggest athletics stars withdrew on the day of the opening ceremony, reports BritPanorama.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Dina Asher-Smith headline a list of nine athletes who will no longer compete in Glasgow, dealing a significant blow to organisers hoping to showcase some of Britain’s biggest Olympic names.
Olympic medallists Matthew Hudson-Smith and Daryll Neita have also pulled out, while Amber Anning, Zac Sneddon, Anna Purchase, Elliot Giles, and Jona Efoloko complete the list of late withdrawals from England’s squad.
The absence of Johnson-Thompson is particularly significant. The former world heptathlon champion had been bidding to claim a third successive Commonwealth Games title after winning gold on the Gold Coast in 2018 before successfully defending her crown in Birmingham four years later. No official explanation has yet been given for the 32-year-old’s decision to withdraw.
However, the European Athletics Championships, which begin in Birmingham next month, are widely expected to be the priority for many leading British athletes following a demanding international calendar. The congested schedule has already prompted several high-profile competitors to reassess their plans.
Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson chose not to enter the selection process for Glasgow, opting instead to focus on the remainder of the season. The issue has not been limited to Team England, either.
A number of international stars have also elected to skip the Games, including Australian swimming champion Kaylee McKeown, Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh, and Kenyan middle-distance runner Mary Moraa, one of Hodgkinson’s biggest rivals. The latest withdrawals further reduce the star power on show in Glasgow and come after another high-profile disappointment earlier this month.
Three-time Olympic gymnastics champion Max Whitlock had been targeting a return to major competition before abandoning his comeback because of injury. Despite the late changes, competition will get under way as scheduled, with Team England still expected to field one of the strongest squads at the Games.
In the end, the Commonwealth Games will unfold with an altered landscape, a reminder of how the pressures of a packed schedule can reshape even the most anticipated events.
