Defending WTS women’s champion Non Stanford has been forced to pull out of this year’s Commonwealth Games with just weeks to go before the opening ceremony, after problems reappeared with the stress fracture in her left ankle.
“I’m pretty devastated,” Stanford, 25, told BBC Sport. “Everything was going really well, getting back into training... about nearly two weeks ago now I started getting a pain in my ankle. I didn't think too much of it, but because I'm still recovering from injury, I went into panic mode a bit.
“I got the doctor to scan it and have an MRI, and unfortunately it showed up a stress reaction in my navicular, which is one of the bones in your ankle. So I'm back in a boot and back on crutches. Injuries happen to everyone and the timing has not been ideal for me this year.”
Stanford was part of a Welsh triathlon team that also includes two-time ITU world champion Helen Jenkins, Holly Lawrence, Liam Lloyd, Alex Matchett and Morgan Davies. With such strength in the women’s team, Wales were expected to claim at least one medal at Strathclyde Park. Replacing Non will be Carol Bridge, 29, who won the 2013 Outlaw Half.
This year’s Commonwealth Games will be held from 23 July to 3 August, with the triathlon events being held at Strathclyde Country Park on Thursday 24 July for the individual races and Saturday 26 July for the mixed relay.
(Main image: Janos Schmidt)