Alysha Newman bows out of indoor world pole vault final with right ankle injury

Pole vaulter Alysha Newman arrived at this week's World Athletics Indoor Championships armed with a new Canadian record and will return home in all-too-familiar territory nursing an injury.

The London, Ont., athlete withdrew minutes before the start of the women's final on Saturday, unable to overcome pain in her right ankle after hurting herself while cooling down after Thursday's practice in Glasgow, Scotland.

"If this was the Olympics it's something you would push through," the 29-year-old told CBC Sports reporter Devin Heroux at Emirates Arena. "I did everything [possible to compete]. [I] was up [Saturday until 3, 4 a.m. local time] doing treatments. We got all the inflammation out.

"Weirdly, now that the inflammation's out, I have more pain. I sprinted [in warmup and] felt great … [but] I was getting sharp pain down the runway."

Newman said she has a Grade 2 ankle sprain and has been told by doctors to not train for three to five weeks and will have an MRI upon returning home.

Heroux noted Newman pulled up on two or three warmup attempts on the runway ahead of Saturday's event.

WATCH l Newman withdraws with ankle injury:

Alysha Newman withdraws from World Athletics Indoor Championships pole vault final

9 months ago

Duration 1:01

The Canadian pole vaulter was unable to compete after suffering an ankle injury.

On Feb. 22, she cleared a winning 4.83 metres at the All-Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand, France to improve her national mark. It was the fourth time in nine competitions this season she has jumped 4.70 or higher.

"I've come a long way from injury and you have to go with your gut," said Newman, who entered the weekend ranked ninth in the world after reaching a career-high third early in 2021. "I'm so proud of my indoor season. … This is a minor setback compared to my other injuries and that's what I need to remember. This is not new territory for me."

Newman said she was able to walk about 24 hours after suffering the injury and got her foot in her running spikes "with a lot of swelling."

2023 World Indoor Tour title

The swelling had subsided Saturday, allowing the two-time Olympian to attend warmup. She felt good wearing flat shoes but the pain was too much in her spikes.

Newman was hampered by injury in 2021, specifically a lingering concussion, while a stress fracture in her left heel cut short her 2022 campaign.

She competed eight times indoors a year ago, capped by a winning clearance of 4.78 at the World Indoor Tour Final last Feb. 25 in Birmingham, England.

Newman also appeared in 15 outdoor events, jumping a season-best and Canadian championship record 4.73 in Langley, B.C., on the way to a national title in July. The next month, she cleared 4.50 to fall short of making the final at outdoor worlds in Budapest, Hungary.

Molly Caudery of Great Britain cleared 4.80 on her second attempt — one fewer than Eliza McCartney of New Zealand — to win Saturday. American Katie Moon earned bronze with a 4.75 clearance.

Margot Chevier of France was taken to hospital after breaking her leg in her second attempt at 4.65.

'Great experience' for Canadian sprinter Leduc

Audrey Leduc of Laval, Que., ran a personal-best 7.21 seconds in the women's 60-metre semifinals but didn't qualify among the top eight for the final, placing 18th.

The 24-year-old clocked 7.22 earlier in the day in her heat.

"It's a great experience and the right competition to do it. I'm very happy," she told CBC Sports.

Leduc's previous best was 7.25, set a week ago at an event hosted by Laval University.

A business student, the five-foot-seven sprinter broke a Canada Games record in 2022, stopping the clock in 11.55 seconds to win the women's 100 in Thorold, Ont.

Femke Bol lowered her world record in the 400 final to 49.17 to claim the world title over Dutch teammate, friend and training partner Lieke Klaver (50.16). Alexis Holmes of the United States took bronze in 50.24.

WATCH l Bol reacts to lowering her world record:

Femke Bol reacts to 400m world record at the World Athletics Indoor Championships

9 months ago

Duration 0:32

The Dutch runner broke her own 400m record by running 49.17s to win gold.

In other races:

• Elle St. Pierre of the U.S. was victorious in the women's 3,000 in a championship record eight minutes 20.87 seconds. She outkicked pre-race favourite, indoor world champion and 1,500 record holder Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia. Beatrice Chepkoech rounded out the medal podium with an 8:22.68 effort, good for a Kenyan record.

St. Pierre also took down the previous American record of 8:25.05 by Alicia Monson in 2023.

"[This is] something I had always dreamed of," St. Pierre said of being a world champion. "I always had the confidence I could do it."

• Josh Kerr earned Great Britain's first medal of these championships, covering the men's 3,000 in 7:42.98 for his second global title and is the first Scot to win world indoor gold in 31 years. Defending champion Selemon Barega of Ethiopia faded down the final straight, beaten for silver by American Yared Nuguse (7:43.59-7:43.64).

Last August, Kerr stunned reigning Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen to take the outdoor 1,500 at worlds in Budapest, Hungary.

"I want to do photographs and selfies with everyone," Kerr said. "I'm so glad people came out [to watch] and hopefully I made their night. These are hopefully the moments that create generations of runners."

WATCH l Kerr reflects on winning 3,000m gold:

Josh Kerr wins gold medal in the 3,000m at World Indoor Athletics Championships

9 months ago

Duration 0:34

Kerr becomes the first Scot to win by running seven minutes 42.98 seconds to capture gold.