London 100m hurdling champ Sally Pearson of Australia suffered another setback Sunday, injuring her already ailing hamstring during a rare 4x100m relay appearance in Sri Lanka.
Pearson, who was expected to make her season debut on the hurdles two weeks from now in Manchester, had already missed the Australian season. Now the fresh grade-one tear is likely to sideline her another couple months.
“We’re taking every precaution with Sally, so now we don’t expect to see her competing until July,” Australian head coach Eric Hollingsworth told the AAP. “If we can get her through a good set of races in July, there should be no problem from there on in.”
“We just have to be ultra-cautious because it’s the second injury.”
Her injury also ended Australia’s chances of qualifying for Moscow’s worlds in the 4x100m, but Hollingsworth said it’s not expected to keep Pearson off the podium for her signature event.
“She is in good shape and the good thing is that generally with her, because she trains with such an intensity once she’s back, it shouldn’t be too long before she is back into race shape.”
But anymore setbacks could open up the field for the Americans Queen Harrison, Dawn Harper, Kellie Wells, and Lolo Jones, who among them own top four times of the season in the 100m hurdles.
