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Sally Pearson's Olympic dreams shattered by torn hamstring

Sally Pearson suffered a devastating injury which has forced her out of the Olympics (AFP/Olivier Morin).
29th June, 2016
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Australia’s Olympic champion hurdler Sally Pearson has reportedly torn a hamstring in training and won’t compete at the Rio Games.

Pearson, the defending Olympic 100m hurdles champion, suffered the injury while training on the Gold Coast, Australian news outlets reported on Wednesday.

Pearson had returned to her Gold Coast base after struggling in comeback races in Europe earlier this month when competing after a year-long absence because of a broken wrist.

She suffered the hamstring injury at training last weekend, News Corp reported.

The 29-year-old was to have been the Australian track and field captain at the Rio Games which start on August 5.

Pearson’s manager Robert Joske refused to confirm the reports, saying the hurdler would speak to media on Thursday, ABC reported.

Pearson returned to Australia in a bid to find form and fitness after three sub-standard races in Europe.

The races were Pearson’s comeback from a broken wrist and a torn calf muscle sustained in fall in a race in June last year.

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“I was a little disappointed with my results and also disappointed that my body was letting me down a little,” Pearson wrote on her website on June 18.

“This has been a big year, broken bones, torn calf, degenerative Achilles and hammy problems … sometimes I wonder why I still continue to do this sport.

“What brings athletes back even after we get pushed down time and time again from disappointment? For me, it’s the excitement, the fun and the pure determination that I can overcome the setbacks and still deliver my best.”

Pearson won gold in her pet 100m hurdles event at the 2012 London Olympics, four years after winning silver in the event at the Beijing Games.

The Queenslander was also 2011 world champion and a dual Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the event.

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