Molly Caudery (Great Britain) – Pole Vault
British pole vaulter Molly Caudery, the 2024 world indoor champion and reigning Diamond League winner, suffered a devastating ankle injury during her warm-up for the pole vault qualifying round. She rolled her ankle after planting her left foot into the landing mat, forcing her to withdraw from the competition. Caudery, who entered the championships ranked fourth globally with a personal best of 4.85 meters, expressed her heartbreak on social media, stating she was “heartbroken… again.” She now looks ahead to a potential return at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she hopes to build on her previous silver medal performance. (TalkSport)
Julien Alfred (Saint Lucia) – 200m
Olympic sprint champion Julien Alfred withdrew from the women’s 200m event due to a grade one hamstring strain. The injury occurred after Alfred finished third in the 100m final. At age 24, the Saint Lucian athlete had been a top contender, having previously won gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m at the Paris Olympics last year, and recorded the fastest 200m time of 2025 with 21.71 seconds in London. Her agent announced that she will not risk further injury and will begin rehabilitation, with plans to return in 2026. (Reuters)
🇯🇲 Rushell Clayton (Jamaica) – 400m Hurdles
Jamaican hurdler Rushell Clayton was ruled out of the World Championships due to injury. No replacement has been named for her in the 400m hurdles event. The injury has dealt a significant blow to her campaign, as she was a strong medal contender. (Facebook)
🇿🇦 Wayde van Niekerk (South Africa) – 400m
South African sprinter Wayde van Niekerk, the 2016 Olympic 400m champion, withdrew from the 2025 World Championships due to a knee injury. The injury prevented him from competing in the event, marking another setback in his comeback journey. Van Niekerk had been sidelined for much of the 2018–2020 period due to an ACL tear but had returned to competition in recent years. (Wikipedia)
The 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo have witnessed several high-profile injuries that have sidelined medal contenders across various disciplines. Below is a detailed overview of these incidents:
Julien Alfred (Saint Lucia) – 200m
Olympic sprint champion Julien Alfred withdrew from the women’s 200m event due to a grade one hamstring strain. The injury occurred after Alfred finished third in the 100m final in Tokyo. At age 24, the Saint Lucian athlete had been a top contender, having previously won gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m at the Paris Olympics last year, and recorded the fastest 200m time of 2025 with 21.71 seconds in London. Her agent, Henry Rolle, announced that she will not risk further injury and will begin rehabilitation, with plans to return in 2026. (Reuters)
Gabby Thomas (USA) – 200m
Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas withdrew from the 2025 World Athletics Championships due to an Achilles tendon injury that had been bothering her since May and worsened earlier in the summer. The injury prevented her from competing at her best, and she announced her withdrawal ahead of the championships. (Olympics)
Molly Caudery (Great Britain) – Pole Vault
British pole vaulter Molly Caudery was forced to withdraw from the 2025 World Athletics Championships after sustaining an ankle injury during her warm-up. Caudery rolled her ankle after planting her foot into the landing mat during a run-through, visibly distraught and later taken off in a wheelchair. The injury ended her hopes of competing and marked another setback following her failure to qualify at the Paris Olympics. The 2024 world indoor champion and Doha Diamond League winner had been enjoying a strong season and was a serious contender for a medal. (TalkSport)
Nina Kennedy (Australia) – Pole Vault
Australian pole vault Olympic and world champion Nina Kennedy suffered a devastating fresh leg muscle strain during a final training session, a major setback that occurred just months after she had undergone hamstring surgery. This injury forced her to withdraw from the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. (EssentiallySports)
Sarah Tait (Scotland) – 3000m Steeplechase
Scottish steeplechase runner Sarah Tait endured a devastating fall during her debut at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Competing in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, Tait had entered the event with high hopes following her recent Scottish national record. However, a misstep during a water jump led to a serious fall, causing her to collapse in visible pain. Medical personnel responded quickly, and she was taken off the track in a wheelchair. The incident has cast uncertainty over her athletic future. (The Times of India)
Bayanda Walaza (South Africa) – 400m
South African sprinter Bayanda Walaza was ruled out of the World Championships due to a hamstring injury. No replacement has been named for him in the 400m event. The injury has dealt a significant blow to his campaign, as he was a strong medal contender. (Yahoo News Australia)