Katie Archibald dominated OUT of Olympics after freak gardening accident
- Katie Archibald has confirmed she suffered a double leg break in the garden
- The 30-year-old says she has been in ‘princess mode’ since suffering the injury
- She gave ‘a hundred thank-yous’ to the medical team after undergoing surgery
Double Olympic champion Katie Archibald is out of the Games in Paris after breaking her leg tripping over a step in her garden.
The British cyclist, 30, was aiming to compete in the team pursuit, madison and omnium at next month’s Olympics.
However, Team GB will now be without their star female endurance rider following her freak accident in what is a major blow to their medal hopes in Paris.
Archibald won gold in the team pursuit at Rio 2016 and in the madison at Tokyo 2020, both alongside Laura Kenny, who announced her retirement earlier this year.
The Scot had surgery on Wednesday but will not have sufficiently recovered in time to ride at her third Olympics.
Katie Archibald, 30, has been ruled out of the Paris Olympics after a freak gardening accident
She revealed the news on Instagram on Thursday, sharing that she has undergone surgery
‘I tripped over a step in the garden and managed to, somehow, dislocate my ankle, break my tibia and fibula, and rip two ligaments off the bone,’ wrote Archibald on Instagram. ‘What the heck.
‘That was on Tuesday and since then I’ve been in full princess mode. Had surgery yesterday to pin the bones back together and reattach the ligaments. Then hopefully this afternoon I’ll be going home.
‘A hundred thank yous for the fabulous doctors, nurses, radiographers, porters, physios, surgeons and more at the Manchester Royal Infirmary.
‘A hundred apologies for what this means for the Olympic team, which I’ve been told won’t involve me.’
Great Britain are expected to announce their women’s endurance squad for Paris on July 4.
British Cycling said in a statement: ‘We share in Katie’s heartbreak over her injury, and the cruel manner in which she has been denied the chance to ride for the medals she so coveted in Paris.
‘Our focus is now on providing Katie with the best possible support as she begins her recovery, and we know that the whole cycling community will be right behind her for every step.’
Archibald, who suffered a double leg break, won a gold medal at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics
She celebrates next to Laura Kenny (right) after winning gold in the madison at Tokyo 2020
As well as her two Olympic gold medals, Archibald collected a silver in the team pursuit in Tokyo three years ago.
She has also won five world titles, including an emotional victory in the team pursuit in Glasgow last August, which came just a year after her partner and fellow cyclist, Rob Wardell, died after suffering a cardiac arrest in bed.
