Getty/Matt King
- Jamaica's Aisha Praught-Leer says she will still run at the Tokyo Olympics despite tearing her meniscus.
- The 31-year-old tore her meniscus "off the bone" in a horrific training accident on Sunday.
- "I want to keep believing in the possibility of achieving the wild dreams I store deep in my heart," she said.
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Jamaican long distance runner Aisha Praught-Leer says she will still compete at the Tokyo Olympics despite tearing her meniscus "off the bone" in a horrific accident.
The 31-year-old suffered the injury while training in Switzerland on Sunday, just over a week ahead of the first round of the women's 1500m.
The meniscus is a piece of cartilage that sits between the thigh and shin bones.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Praught-Leer revealed she was advised to have surgery as soon as possible, however will delay going under the knife until after the Games.
"I will line up in Tokyo," she wrote. "When I arrive I'll get the fluid drained from my knee and get a cortisone injection."
Praught-Leer, who won gold in the 3000m steeple chase at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, conceded however that she will not be able to perform at her best in Tokyo given her injury.
"I want to keep believing in the possibility of achieving the wild dreams I store deep in my heart. The reality is they will not happen in Tokyo," she said.
"Running to my ability is simply not possible on a knee without stability. This is the most challenging reality I have faced in my career.
"We did nothing wrong. As I said, this was a freak accident. But now all of my silent work, the beautiful, hard-earned fitness, does not have a chance to see the light of day. The triumph I have visualized so vividly is-poof-gone in one step."
Despite her disappointment, she added: "You will see me smiling in Tokyo with Jamaica on my chest because the honor of representing my country is one of the greatest I've had in my little life."
The first round of the 1500m in Tokyo takes place on Monday, August 2.