Jake Wightman: Olympic absence was cruel but I can get on track for LA

To have to pull out of an Olympics on the eve of being set to compete is not a nice thing to have to do, but I’m back and setting my sights on the future.

I took a holiday and am beginning to move on after my hamstring injury denied me the chance to run in Paris and go for a first Olympic medal. It’s not been an easy time, for sure.

My girlfriend and I went to Sardinia for a break after I had to admit defeat and pull out of the 800metres but the Olympics was inescapable. It was on in all the bars and naturally you get invested in the sport you’re watching.

It is not an easy thing to avoid! But both of us really got into it. It looked like a class Games and I wanted to know how people were getting on and watched the 800m. What an event. The final looked tough.

In the 1500m, I was surprised by Cole Hocker’s victory but the American always had a chance of gold as he is a quick finisher.

On form, it looked like Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s to lose at the bell and that was also true until 100m to go. But you can never underestimate the quality of the athletes behind. It was insane to see four people sprinting in a race that was so quick and in which Josh Kerr ran a British record.

I’m really pleased for Josh and what he achieved in Paris, and look forward to sharing the track with him again soon.

Not being able to compete was sad for me, the cruellest of ways for my journey to Paris to end. I’d been through a lot over the past couple of years and the calf injury I’d had before the British trials had to be handled carefully.

What I decided to do was a three-week crash course of training in St Moritz. I still felt competing could be a risk but it was one I was prepared to take.

Training for the 800 is really hard on the body but I’d just had one of the best sessions I’ve ever had, only for my glute to tighten in the last 200m.

I had a scan the next day and my doctor asked me to do a Zoom call with him at 6pm the same day. I knew it could be the worst news. There were no pleasantries, no small talk like usual, just straight down to business. It became pretty clear I wouldn’t be racing at the Olympics.

Jake Wightman beats Jakob Ingebrigtsen to the 1500m world title in 2022 and hopes to be challenging for top honours again soon (Picture: PA)

I knew I was in shape for what I wanted to do so that part doesn’t hurt, I just struggled to keep my body together. When it lets you down it’s easier to process in some ways. I didn’t miss the Games because I wasn’t good enough.

So what next? I’ve now had time to re-evaluate and at 30 my priority has to be medical support so I am relocating to Manchester in a bid to squeeze as much as I can out of my remaining years in the sport.

I feel I need to be closer to my physio there because I can’t have a third straight year like this in 2025 with a world championships in a year’s time.

I’ve decided I will aim to be at the LA Olympics in 2028 but I will take it year by year. I know it would be very difficult to come back if I had another big injury.

Now it’s about proving I can still do it and I want to do another Olympic cycle.

Now it’s about proving I can still do it and I want to do another Olympic cycle. Our only athletics gold in Paris came from Keely Hodgkinson, who is based in Manchester, and every physio I’ve ever had is up there so something has been telling me it’s time for a change.

I’ll still be coached by my Dad Geoff despite the move and I know we’ll make it work.

I fully intend to return to the level I know I can compete at over the coming months and be competitive and give myself a shot at Los Angeles. It’s time to move on.

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