Hurdles conquer Allen Johnson
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EUGENE, Ore.--At 37, Allen Johnson knew that qualiyfing for the Beijing team in the 110-meter hurdles would be a longshot.
As long as his body cooperated, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist and seven-time U.S. outdoor champion was willing to give it a try -- but his body has finally betrayed him.
Johnson pulled up about halfway through his preliminary race today, unable to continue after aggravating a pulled tendon on the inside of his left leg, behind his shin.
‘I injured it about six weeks ago and it just didn’t heal, didn’t hold up,’ he said.
‘It’s been bothering me for the past six, seven weeks, so I knew this was a possibility. I hoped that it wouldn’t happen. I’ve been getting therapy, staying off of it, doing everything I could. It just didn’t hold up.’
He said he felt a twinge on the first hurdle but then it eased up. However, ‘the pain just got progressively worse and I couldn’t go anymore,’ he said.
‘It was really disappointing for me. I was really hoping to go back,’ said Johnson, who said he will probably undergo season-ending surgery. ‘I’d like to come back for next year and run, so we’ll see.’
--Helene Elliott