- Weissenberg suffered the injury just before her hurdles race on Thursday
- She fell to the ground in pain as doctors rushed to the scene for the race
- The 26-year-old had expressed her excitement about her Olympic debut
Germany’s Sophie Weissenberg withdrew from the first event of the heptathlon on Thursday morning after suffering a strange injury during the warm-up.
The heptathlon began in Paris with the 100m hurdles heats, which included Team GB stars Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Jade O’Dowda, as well as event favourite Nafissatou Thiam.
Team GB’s stars ran in the first heat, with Johnson-Thompson finishing second as she chased a first Olympic medal at her fourth Games since making her debut in London 2012.
In the second round, Weissenberg was scheduled to run, but she suffered a lower body injury when she fell to the ground in pain.
Medics rushed to the scene to help the 26-year-old, but he was eventually wheeled off the track on a chair and was unable to compete.
Sophie Weissenberg suffered a bizarre injury just before her 100m hurdles series at the Paris Olympics
The German heptathlete fell to the ground in pain after suffering the problem during her warm-up
Weissenberg hit a hurdle during her warm-up and appeared to sprain her ankle.
As several athletes were in the cooling room, the TV cameras turned to the track. Weissenberg lay face down and in tears, just before the heat.
She was immediately comforted by six doctors, while a replay showed her warming up for her race by jumping over a series of obstacles.
However, footage shows the German clearing a hurdle and trying her best to keep going, only to realise as she stopped that she had damaged what may have been her ankle.
As she stumbled, she also appeared to twist her ankle, causing her to fall to the ground. Medics rushed to the scene to help her.
BBC commentary was heard: ‘You can imagine how bitterly disappointed she is. She seemed to have done everything right and it is in those final moments that you can lose your mind a little bit.’
Weissenberg was eventually driven away with her head in her hands, after being comforted by a fellow runner before her run started. The run was won by Dutch star Emma Oosterwegel.
She had high expectations for the event before the Games. She had already achieved success in the youth and had competed in the Olympics for the first time. She had expressed her enthusiasm about it on social media.
She had expressed her excitement about making her Olympic debut in Paris on social media just hours before
Doctors rushed to the scene to help the 26-year-old, who was also comforted by a fellow runner
She was helped into a chair before being wheeled away, with the race starting moments later
She was banned from the race and likely the Games, and took a moment to reflect on what had happened
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A few hours before she took to the track, she shared a photo on Instagram of herself wearing the German team colours with the caption: ‘Olympic debut tomorrow!’
She may have to wait another four years for her debut, due to her injury on the thirteenth day.
After one event, British favourite Johnson-Thompson was eighth in the standings, thanks to her performance in the hurdles.
Reigning Olympic champion Thiam finished in a modest 16th place after a mediocre performance in her race.