Canada’s Damian Warner withdraws from decathlon with Achilles injury

Damian Warner, of Canada, reacts after finishing his decathlon 110 meters hurdle heat at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

TOKYO — Former Olympic decathlon champion Damian Warner will not compete for his first title at the world athletics championships.

Warner withdrew from the competition Saturday morning in Tokyo due to a nagging Achilles injury that worsened over the last few days, a spokesperson for Athletics Canada said.

Warner explained in a social media post that an MRI revealed swelling and fluid, but no tear, in his Achilles tendon after he was under too much pain to finish his final warm-up before the decathlon.

“Because of this, and to avoid risking further damage, I’ve had to make the incredibly difficult decision to withdraw from competing at the World Championships,” he wrote.

“I’m devastated, especially because I had been feeling so strong leading into this trip and was really looking forward to once again representing Canada on the world stage.”

The decathlon was scheduled to run through Sunday night at Japan’s National Stadium, where Warner struck gold in record-breaking fashion at the Summer Games in 2021.

The 35-year-old from London, Ont., who also won bronze at the Rio Olympics in 2016, is a four-time medallist at the world championships, winning two silver and two bronze.

Warner claimed silver behind gold medal-winning countryman Pierce LePage of Whitby, Ont., at the most recent worlds in Budapest in 2023.

“Thank you to my family, coaches, and supporters for going out of their way to try and get me to the start line — competing is my passion, but I couldn’t navigate this journey without all of you in my corner,” Warner said in the social media post. “I’ll be working hard to be back on the track soon.

“I look forward to watching the decathlon over the next couple days, and cheering on our Canadian athletes.”

LePage, who missed last year’s Paris Games with an injury, was set to compete in the decathlon.

Also Saturday morning (Friday night in North America), two-time indoor world champion Sarah Mitton of Brooklyn, N.S., throws in her women’s shot put qualifying heat.

The Canadian Press