Hurdler Felicien won't race in Beijing Olympics
Updated: Tue Jul. 15 2008 12:10:51 AM
Star Canadian hurdler Perdita Felicien will once again miss a chance at Olympic glory.
She told reporters she will not compete at the Beijing Olympics in August during a conference call on Tuesday.
Reports suggested Felicien, known for tripping on a hurdle during the 2004 Athens Olympics, pulled out due to a foot injury. She had been the defending world champion going into that race, but tripped on the first hurdle in the 100-metre finals.
Felicien, 27, has not raced this year after breaking a small part of her left foot during a practice in February.
After taking a significant amount of time to recover from her injury, she was granted an extension to meet the 13.11-second time required to qualify for Beijing. Her announcement on Tuesday came just one week before her new deadline to qualify, July 22.
Felicien said she decided it wasn't her year to head to the Olympics after consulting with her family, coaches and doctors.
"I tried the best that I could but I just ran out of time," Felicien said. "It's OK with me right now for it to be this way because I feel there's so much more left for me to do.
"Of course I'm going to have to endure this and deal with this and I think nobody is more equipped and capable than I am to move past this and prepare. So I'm not training for Beijing but the next thing up for me would be next summer's world championships and hopefully to win a fourth world medal."
Last year, Felicien placed second in the event at the track and field world championships in Osaka, Japan.
Felicien is a native of Pickering, Ont., and was reportedly named after a contestant on The Price is Right.
Star Canadian hurdler Perdita Felicien will once again miss a chance at Olympic glory.
She told reporters she will not compete at the Beijing Olympics in August during a conference call on Tuesday.
Reports suggested Felicien, known for tripping on a hurdle during the 2004 Athens Olympics, pulled out due to a foot injury. She had been the defending world champion going into that race, but tripped on the first hurdle in the 100-metre finals.
Felicien, 27, has not raced this year after breaking a small part of her left foot during a practice in February.
After taking a significant amount of time to recover from her injury, she was granted an extension to meet the 13.11-second time required to qualify for Beijing. Her announcement on Tuesday came just one week before her new deadline to qualify, July 22.
Felicien said she decided it wasn't her year to head to the Olympics after consulting with her family, coaches and doctors.
"I tried the best that I could but I just ran out of time," Felicien said. "It's OK with me right now for it to be this way because I feel there's so much more left for me to do.
"Of course I'm going to have to endure this and deal with this and I think nobody is more equipped and capable than I am to move past this and prepare. So I'm not training for Beijing but the next thing up for me would be next summer's world championships and hopefully to win a fourth world medal."
Last year, Felicien placed second in the event at the track and field world championships in Osaka, Japan.
Felicien is a native of Pickering, Ont., and was reportedly named after a contestant on The Price is Right.
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