Decathlon world champion Pierce LePage will not be competing at the Olympic Games in Paris due to injury. The Canadian track and field athlete announced this on Instagram.
LePage has to undergo surgery following a herniated disc. He said in a video that he had tried everything to get fit in time. He has now decided not to compete in order not to risk further injury and to be able to defend his World Championship title in Tokyo next September.
The 28-year-old became world champion in the decathlon last year in Budapest with 8909 points. He was considered one of the most promising medal candidates for Paris. Simon Ehammer will also not be competing on August 2 and 3. The athlete from eastern Switzerland is forgoing the decathlon in favor of the long jump.
