July 5th 2023.
Jake Wightman is training hard in Arizona this year with the goal of defending his world title in Eugene in 2022. However, due to a series of unfortunate injuries, he has had to make the difficult decision to pull out of the defense of his 1500m world title this summer and focus on the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
It all began with a foot injury Jake sustained in the gym earlier this year, which caused him to miss the European Indoor Championships. After some discomfort in his Achilles from where he had been wearing the boot, he arrived in Flagstaff, Arizona for training camp pain-free. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks in, Jake got a sore shin and returned to the UK, where he picked up a bad hamstring. This was the final nail in the coffin for his world championship hopes.
Faced with this difficult situation, Jake decided to make the sensible call and sit out the championships in Budapest in August, instead focusing on the Paris Games. He knows that an Olympic title carries the special cache that a world title can’t match.
Jake is now looking ahead to the next 12 months with a clear plan of action. He will be resting and re-setting, and looking to make himself as robust and bulletproof as possible for the Paris challenge. He is positive and upbeat about the decision he has had to make, and can’t wait to get back on the road to Paris.
He knows that the situation is all in his own hands now, and that patience is the best way forward from here. Jake has learned from his experiences that he is 90% of the way to his goal, but that he has more to do and learn to achieve something. He is determined to make the most of this situation, and to make it to the start-line in France.
National Lottery players raise more than £30million a week for good causes, including vital funding into sports. Thanks to their support, Jake has the opportunity to reach his goal of winning Olympic gold. He is sure that with the right focus and hard work, he can make his Olympic dream come true.
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