Huge Team GB blow as gold medal hopeful forced to pull out of Paris 2024 Olympics just days before event begins
TEAM GB medal hopeful Jake Wightman has been forced to withdraw from the Olympics.
The 800m runner has picked up a hamstring injury which means he will not be on the start line next week.
Team GB have called up Elliot Giles in his place, with the 30-year-old set to participate in his third Olympics.
Giles failed to reach the final in his previous two appearances at Rio and Tokyo, and his personal best is almost a second slower than Wightman.
Wightman has been plagued by injuries over the last few years and missed the British Championships earlier this year due to a calf problem.
He won 1500m gold at the 2022 World Championships, becoming the first Brit to win that title since Steve Cram in 1983.
The 30-year-old then decided to focus on 800m and is a two-time British champion in the event, while also being the Scottish record holder.
He finished 10th in the 1500m at his Olympics debut in Tokyo, but was tipped to challenge for a podium place in Paris.
Wightman also missed out on the opportunity to defend his 1500m world title in 2023 as he sustained a freak foot injury during a gym session.
That forced him to spend five weeks in a protective boot as he recovered, with his compatriot and childhood friend Josh Kerr winning gold in his place.
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What's happening today at The Games?
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY...
TODAY’S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Water takes centre stage on Day 6 as Joe Clarke eyes canoe slalom kayak gold (4.30pm).
In the rowing, the women’s four should claim gold while the men’s four and women’s double sculls will know they can get on the podium, too (10.15am).
And after our men won the 4x200m freestyle relay, the women could add a medal in the pool tonight (8.48pm).
BRITS TO WATCH
Defending champ Beth Shriever and Tokyo silver medallist Kye Whyte begin their BMX racing event at the quarter-finals (from 7pm).
Bryony Pitman (9am), Penny Healey (4.14pm) and Alex Wise (5.05pm) are all in archery action.
Andy Murray’s swansong with Dan Evans continues – they face Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals (3.30pm).
And the golf starts today, meaning Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick will tee off for GB, with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry flying the flag for Ireland (from 8am).
GLOBAL STARS TODAY
World No1 Scottie Scheffler leads an all-star USA golf team, though, alongside Open champ Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark.
French Open champ Iga Swiatek is the heavy favourite for the women’s tennis singles gold ahead of her semi-final before Carlos Alcaraz then Novak Djokovic go in the men’s quarters (from 11am).
FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
Volleyball is an ever-present throughout the Olympics, running from Day 1 all the way to Day 16, all of it in the catchy-named South Paris Arena 1.
Tokyo runners-up Brazil face Japan (12pm) and hosts France vs China (8pm) in the pick of the clashes.
STATS MAD
3:50 – Who doesn’t love a competitive brisk walk?
The athletics officially begins with the men’s and women’s 20km race walks today (6.30am and 8.20am).
The world record is a staggering 1:16.36 – that’s an average of 3m50s per km while WALKING.
Follow all the action as it unfolds with our Paris 2024 Olympics LIVE blog.
Wightman is not the only Team GB medal hopeful to be struck down by injury, as skateboarding sensation Sky Brown dislocated her shoulder just days before she was set to compete for gold.
Brown, 16, is now being looked after by Team GB’s medical team.
It is still hoped that she will be able to compete in the women’s Park skateboarding on August 6 and go for gold.