The Olympic Gamesare underway and there’s still many disciplines to be decided. Track and field athletes are getting their moment to shine inTokyo 2020. However, American Christian Taylor won’t be competing in the triple jump event this year.
Taylor, 30, is one of the most successful track and field athletes in the world. He’s not only the 2012 and 2016 Olympic triple jump champion, but also he has won the world title in the event in 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2019. During that stretch, he changed histakeoff leg.
The move favored him as he achieved the second-farthest triple jump in history with 18.21 meters. He was close to surpassing Jonathan Edwards’ world record of 18.29 meters from 1995. Unfortunately, he can’t attempt to do so in Tokyo. Check out the reasons.
Why isn’t Christian Taylor competing in Tokyo 2020?
Tayloris missingthe Olympics after rupturing an Achilles at a meet in May. His fiancée, Austrian hurdler Beate Schrott, announced the news on her Instagram page saying that Taylor had to undergo surgery. Then, Taylor confirmed the news in a statement.
“I am disappointed to not be able to go for my third consecutive Olympic gold in Tokyo, but I will be back,” Taylor said in his statement according to NBCOlympics.com . “I have 426 days until triple jump at Eugene 2022 [World Championships] and I am already setting my target on that podium.”
Taylor was injured during a takeoff while attempting a triple jump at the Ostrava Golden Spike in the Czech Republic. Then, he had surgery in Germany. Without Taylor, American Will Claye, 29, is the favorite after winning silver at the last two Olympics.