Pearson pulls out of Commonwealth Games

Sally Pearson said she was disappointed but needed to give herself the best chance of competing in the 2020 Olympics

Sally Pearson is one of the most decorated athletes from Australia.

Team Australia was dealt with a heavy blow on Thursday as one of its star athletes – Sally Pearson – withdrew from the XXI Commonwealth Games citing an Achilles injury that flared up two days ago. LIVE UPDATES

Stating her decision to withdraw at a media conference, the 31-year-old athlete said, “it is gut wrenching, it is heart-breaking and it is unfortunate that I cannot go out there and run.” She said that she had waited for the completion of Wednesday’s opening ceremony and completed her duty of being the final baton of the Queen’s Baton Relay. Pearson, whose career during recent years has been hit hard by a string of injuries, said that she was  determined to get fit for the next year’s World championships in Doha and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, eight months thereafter.