Jamaica's Praught-Leer to compete despite 'freak' injury

Jamaica's 1,500m runner Aisha Praught-Leer will "line up in Tokyo" despite ripping her meniscus on Sunday, an injury which her doctor stated needs surgery.

Saturday, 24th July 2021

Jamaica: Jamaica's 1,500m runner Aisha Praught-Leer will "line up in Tokyo" despite ripping her meniscus on Sunday, an injury which her doctor stated needs surgery. She wrote on her social media site, "I tore my meniscus (a complete, off the bone root tear) on Sunday at training — a freak, shocking accident." 31-year-old Jamaica representative in the Olympics added, "I heard and felt a painful pop doing a drill, but then proceeded to do one of the best workouts of my life." An MRI confirmed the injury on Wednesday, and her doctor suggested she undergo surgery as soon as possible. But that will not occur before she runs in Tokyo, Praught-Leer said. "I will line up in Tokyo," she posted in the Instagram post. [caption id="attachment_36238" align="alignnone" width="640"]

aisha-praught-of-jamaica ( File pic)[/caption] "When I come, I'll get the fluid drained from my knee and get a cortisone injection (this is legal, and my surgeon understands and encourages me in this)." The 2018 Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase gold medallist accepted she would be unable to fight to her best ability because of the injury. "I want to keep believing in the chance of achieving the wild dreams I store deep in my heart," she said. "The reality is they will not appear in Tokyo — running to my ability is simply not feasible on a knee without stability. This is the most challenging reality I have suffered in my career. "All of my silent work, the beautiful, hard-earned fitness, does not have the fortune to see the light of day," she wrote. "The triumph I have imagined so vividly is —poof —gone in one step. "This is my life's work, my goal and my first true love. I am heartbroken." Despite the setback, Praught-Leer said she will proudly represent her country in Tokyo. "You will see me smiling in Tokyo with Jamaica on my chest because the honour of serving my country is one of the biggest I've had in my little life," she continued.