France’s Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, holding his national flag, reacts as he celebrates after winning the Men’s 1500m final during the European Athletics Championships at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich on August 17, 2014.
PARIS, May 18 – France have suffered a new athletics injury woe with triple European steeplechase champion Mahiedine Mekhissi, already ruled out of the world championships in August, picking up a second foot injury.
Mekhissi announced on his Facebook page that after undergoing surgery on his right foot he had injured the Achilles tendon on the same foot.
“Yesterday (Saturday) I slipped; I pulled myself back with my weakened right foot and I felt a crack.
“Doctors verdict after an MRI: partially ruptured Achilles tendon! Consequence: 6 to 8 weeks in plaster so that the tendon will recover naturally,” explained Mekhissi.
“Don’t worry, my morale is still top!” added the 30-year-old, a silver medallist at both the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic Games.
France are already without world champion triple jumper Teddy Tamgho and world indoor long jump champion Eloyse Lesueur for the world championships in Beijing from August 22-30.
Tamgho suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon competing in the Diamond League opener in Doha last Friday, while Lesueur is suffering from a ruptured knee ligament.
