The Olympic champion Sally Pearson (Qld) has today confirmed her withdrawal from the IAAF World Championships in Beijing (CHN).

Set to undergo further surgery tomorrow on the wrist she injured after a horror fall, the Commonwealth hurdles champion and national record holder has her sights set on 2016, with the Olympic Games her greatest motivation.

“I’m not going to the World Championships. It’s very disappointing for me, but I guess I haven’t had a break since 2003, my first Australian team. I think it will be a very good mental and physical break for me leading into the Olympics next year,” Pearson said.

“At this stage Rio is the highest priority, I’m just going to wrap myself in cotton wool until then and make sure that I don’t injure myself.

Pearson also injured her calf during the same race in Rome (ITA) and describes her reaction to the injury as one of shock more than pain.

“All I felt was the hand touch the ground. I didn’t feel the break or the dislocation. The reason I was probably screaming so much was the fact that I was terrified, seeing my hand go in a different direction, and because I was trying to get the attention of the volunteers to come and help me so that I could get up,” Pearson said.

“It was very traumatic. I’ve never broken a bone, had surgery or stiches before, so doing that in one, in a different country, was very traumatic for me. I do put things into perspective and think that I am very lucky. If it had have been my ankle it would be a completely different story and I would be telling you something very different right now. I’m very lucky and fortunate for how I am at the moment.”

 

Pearson will now take an extended break from athletics as she recovers, before returning to training late in 2015 to begin her build for the Olympic Games.

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