Sprinter Andre De Grasse and decathlete Pierce LePage are among the top Canadian track and field stars who have opted out of the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Posted at 10:07 a.m.
De Grasse completed the final stint for the Canadian team, which won gold in the 4 x 100 meters at the recent World Championships in Athletics.
Aaron Brown and Jerome Blake, who were also part of the relay, also withdrew.
“These athletes have endured demanding World Championships in hot weather conditions and unfortunately must pull out of the 2022 Commonwealth Games to fully recover and prepare for the remainder of the season,” Athletics Canada said in a statement.
De Grasse, who suffered from COVID-19 about a month ago, failed to qualify for the 100 meters final at the World Championships before withdrawing from the 200 meters event.
Finally choosing to participate in the relay a few days after the end of these events, he helped the Canadian team to beat the Americans in the final of the relay.
LePage, who won silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, won her first World Championship medal with silver in the decathlon.
The Commonwealth Games will take place from July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, England.