Eldhose Paul pulls out of Paris Olympics race due to injury

Indian triple jumper Eldhose Paul has announced his withdrawal from the race to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics due to an injury.

Paul, who was set to make a final attempt at the qualification at the ongoing National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Panchkula, revealed the news of his heel bone injury on social media.

The 27-year-old track and field athlete shared his disappointment on Instagram, explaining the severity of his condition.

Eldhose Paul injured himself during his final competition at the JBL Jump Fest on Alzbetina Street in Košice. Despite securing a bronze medal with a 16.45-meter jump, the athlete suffered a major injury.

Upon returning to India and undergoing additional evaluation, doctors revealed that he had fractured his calcaneus (heel bone), requiring urgent medical treatment.

"I wanted to take a moment to share a personal update with all of you. Over the past few months, I've been on an incredible journey striving towards qualifying for the Paris Olympics 2024. It's been a relentless journey filled with intense competitions, back-to-back travel, and pushing myself beyond limits I never thought possible," Eldhose shared on social media.

"Unfortunately, I sustained an injury during the last competition I took part in which occurred towards the end of the qualifying period. After returning to India and undergoing further evaluation, it's been concluded that I have a fracture in the calcaneus (heel bone) that requires immediate attention," the post read.

"This news means that my Olympic journey ends here. Words cannot express how heartbreaking this is for me. Representing my country this year would have been the pinnacle of my career. However, as athletes, we understand that injuries are part of the sport and I choose to look forward with optimism. As I take this time to heal and recover, I am reminded that this is not the end of my story," he added.

This setback is a significant blow to Paul's Olympic aspirations.