28 July 2008

Following his withdrawal from the London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on Saturday, long jumper Chris Tomlinson was taken into the Olympic Medical Institute at Northwick Park Hospital in London on Monday morning where he underwent a scan under the jurisdiction of the UK Athletics Medical team.

Unfortunately the scan revealed he has a tear in his right calf muscle. The World indoor silver medallist was due to fly out to the Team GB Olympic Games holding camp in Macau on Saturday 2 August, but now will not be travelling with his team-mates.

Instead he will stay in the UK and undergo an intense period of rehabilitation at the UK Athletics North London High Performance Centre in Lee Valley, where – under the guidance of the UK Athletics Medical Team – he will attempt to regain competitive fitness to enable him to compete in Beijing. 

Dave Collins, UK Athletics Performance Director said: “This is lousy timing for Chris with less than three weeks to go before he is due to compete in Beijing.  In his condition, there is little to be gained by travelling to Macau. 

“The best course of action available to us is to keep him here in the UK and give him every possible chance of regaining fitness and hopefully flying directly to Beijing.  The next few days will be crucial in his recovery before we make the final assessment as to whether he is fit enough to perform at the Olympics.”

Chris Tomlinson said:  “It is a big blow for me, but I have just got to work with it. When I was on the runway at Crystal Palace, my calf seized up on me. We were hopeful that it was cramp, but deep down I had fears it was a tear and the scan confirmed that.

“I am now getting well looked after by the UK Athletics medical staff and I have every confidence in them. I will have a fitness test in a couple of weeks, but in the meantime I am keeping my head high and trying to stay positive.

“The main priority for me now is being on that runway on 16 August. If I get there fit and in good shape I know I have got the ability to jump as far as anyone in the world.”  The Olympic Games men’s long jump qualifying round is scheduled to take place on Saturday 16 August, with the final two days later.