Reigning Olympic 200 Meters Champion Announced An Ongoing Achilles Injury At USATF Outdoor Championships That Hasn't Resolved Since 

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Becky Holbrook photo

Gabby Thomas, the reigning Olympic 200 meters champion, announced Tuesday morning she will be withdrawing from the Tokyo World Championships due to an ongoing Achilles injury.

“I understand that it will be disappointing for some track fans to hear this news, but I’ve finally come to the realization that it’s ok to be human and take care of myself," Thomas said in a release.

"As an athlete you always want to keep grinding, but sometimes you simply can’t outwork an injury. Sometimes it’s about patience and making the right decision for the long term. All the best to my Team USA teammates fighting for medals in Tokyo.”

Thomas barely snagged the third and final automatic qualifying spot on Team USA in the women's 200 after beating out Mackenzie Long and Brittany Brown. With Brown earning the "wild card" bid from the Diamond League Final to represent the U.S. in Tokyo, Long could now be awarded the third automatic spot with Thomas now out.

Thomas announced after finishing third at the USATF Outdoor Championships she had been dealing with Achilles injury since May. She then said she exacerbated the injury in July.

The Tokyo World Championships are Sept. 13-21.