The Belgian athletics federation announced on Wednesday that the double Olympic and world heptathlon champion, the Belgian Nafissatou Thiam, diminished by tendon pain, will not defend her title at the World Championships in Budapest from August 19 to 27.
“Nafi’s preparation has been disrupted by problems with her Achilles tendons and after various consultations with her team, she has decided not to risk aggravating the problem by participating in Budapest”, explained the athlete’s managers. in a press release. “Nafi is disappointed to skip a major championship but retains a strong vision for her long-term goals and the Paris Olympics,” they added.
Last month, Nafi Thiam forfeited the meetings in Monaco (July 21) and London (July 23) where she was to perform in the height and long jump respectively. At 28, she has the ambition to win a third Olympic title in a row next summer in Paris. Holder of the pentathlon world record, she still dreams of beating the old heptahlon world record (7,291 pts) set in 1988 by the American Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
