KATE O’CONNOR’S CHIEF rival for Commonwealth Games gold, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, has withdrawn from the championships due to an unspecified injury.
O’Connor’s heptathlon silver in the 2022 edition, finishing 144 points behind Johnson-Thompson, proved her first senior medal.
The Newry-born athlete has since gone to another level with four championship medals last year, getting the better of Johnson-Thompson for silver at the 2025 Worlds. She added bronze at the World Indoors in March.
Johnson-Thompson has indicated she will switch her focus to the European Championships in Birmingham next month, where she will again be competing against O’Connor.
Johnson-Thompson said on social media: “I’m gutted to have to pull out of this year’s Commonwealth Games. I was so looking forward to competing on home soil and having the chance to defend my Commonwealth title!
“Although the injury I picked up earlier this season has improved, I haven’t been able to get back to the level I need to compete at my best.
“After discussing it with my team, we’ve made the difficult decision to focus on giving myself the best chance of being ready for the European Championships, so working very hard to be there later this season.
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“Missing a championship is never easy, but I know it’s the right decision. I can’t wait to be back competing again soon.”
Johnson-Thompson had been expected to target a hat-trick of Commonwealth Games titles having previously won gold in both Gold Coast and Birmingham.
The 33-year-old double defending champion is one of nine members of the England athletics squad to pull out on Thursday, the same day as opening ceremony in Glasgow.
Four more Olympic medallists – Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita, Matthew Hudson-Smith, and Amber Anning – are also out along with Zac Sneddon, Anna Purchase, Elliot Giles, and Jona Efoloko.
International stars who have previously pulled out of the Games include St Lucia’s reigning Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred, multiple Olympic swimming medallists Kaylee McKeown and Summer McIntosh of Australia and Canada respectively, and Kenya’s Mary Moraa, the 800m rival of Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who did not pursue selection.
Away from the athletics track, triple Olympic gymnastics champion Max Whitlock was forced to call time on his comeback bid earlier this month due to injury.
Rhys McClenaghan, who beat Whitlock to 2024 Olympic gold in the pommel horse, is aiming for his third Commonwealth medal after gold in 2018 and silver in 2022.
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Kate O'Connor rival Katarina Johnson-Thompson ruled out of Commonwealth Games
KATE O’CONNOR’S CHIEF rival for Commonwealth Games gold, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, has withdrawn from the championships due to an unspecified injury.
O’Connor’s heptathlon silver in the 2022 edition, finishing 144 points behind Johnson-Thompson, proved her first senior medal.
The Newry-born athlete has since gone to another level with four championship medals last year, getting the better of Johnson-Thompson for silver at the 2025 Worlds. She added bronze at the World Indoors in March.
Johnson-Thompson has indicated she will switch her focus to the European Championships in Birmingham next month, where she will again be competing against O’Connor.
Johnson-Thompson said on social media: “I’m gutted to have to pull out of this year’s Commonwealth Games. I was so looking forward to competing on home soil and having the chance to defend my Commonwealth title!
“Although the injury I picked up earlier this season has improved, I haven’t been able to get back to the level I need to compete at my best.
“Missing a championship is never easy, but I know it’s the right decision. I can’t wait to be back competing again soon.”
Johnson-Thompson had been expected to target a hat-trick of Commonwealth Games titles having previously won gold in both Gold Coast and Birmingham.
The 33-year-old double defending champion is one of nine members of the England athletics squad to pull out on Thursday, the same day as opening ceremony in Glasgow.
Four more Olympic medallists – Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita, Matthew Hudson-Smith, and Amber Anning – are also out along with Zac Sneddon, Anna Purchase, Elliot Giles, and Jona Efoloko.
International stars who have previously pulled out of the Games include St Lucia’s reigning Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred, multiple Olympic swimming medallists Kaylee McKeown and Summer McIntosh of Australia and Canada respectively, and Kenya’s Mary Moraa, the 800m rival of Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who did not pursue selection.
Away from the athletics track, triple Olympic gymnastics champion Max Whitlock was forced to call time on his comeback bid earlier this month due to injury.
Rhys McClenaghan, who beat Whitlock to 2024 Olympic gold in the pommel horse, is aiming for his third Commonwealth medal after gold in 2018 and silver in 2022.
- Additional reporting by Press Association.
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Athletics Commonwealth Games Heptathlon kate o'connor