Horror accident sends veteran Belgian decathlete crashing out
A freak injury has knocked Belgian veteran Thomas van der Plaetsen out of the men's decathlon on the opening day of the event at the Tokyo Games.
Van der Plaetsen appeared to slip on his first attempt during the long jump portion of the event as he took off from the board.
The 30-year-old was then flung five metres through the air before face-planting in the sand, lying motionless for some time.
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Thomas Van der Plaetsen lies in the sand. Getty
Thomas van der Plaetsen in agony as he lays in the dirt in the Men's Decathlon Long Jump on day twelve of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Getty
The Belgian managed to pull himself from the sand, as he was tended to by medics and eventually helped into a wheelchair.
Van der Plaetsen sat 17th after the first leg of the event, having finished the 100m heats in a time of 11.05 seconds.
Van Der Plaetsen has had an interesting career, including an incident in 2014 where he initially failed a drug test for heightened HCG levels before it was revealed that had been caused by up to then undiagnosed testicular cancer - he was then treated and made a full recovery.
Thomas van der Plaetsen of Team Belgium reacts after getting hurt while competing in the Men's Decathlon Long Jump. Getty
On the same day of competition, the world champions of the decathlon and heptathlon also crashed out of Olympic medal contention after breaking down during their last races of the day.
Heptathlon world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Great Britain injured her right calf muscle as she rounded the bend in the 200m, the fourth event of the competition.
About an hour later, decathlon world champion Niklas Kaul of Germany appeared to injure an ankle during the 400m race, the fifth of 10 disciplines, and did not finish.
Thomas van der Plaetsen clearly in pain even after leaving the dirt. Getty
Thomas van der Plaetsen grimaces as he's tended to by medical staff at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Getty
Damian Warner of Canada leads at the halfway point of the decathlon with 4722 points, 81 ahead of Australia's Ash Moloney.
Johnson-Thompson slowed to a stop at the top of the straight and sat on the track before waving away medical attendants who went to her assistance — including one pushing a wheelchair.
She got up and limped across the finish line but was disqualified for stepping out of her lane.
Her preparation was hampered by a series of injuries, including her left Achilles tendon.
Medical staff attend to Thomas van der Plaetsen of Team Belgium after he was hurt while competing in the Men's Decathlon Long Jump. Getty
Johnson-Thompson had been in fifth place after the 100m hurdles, high jump and long jump.
With three events to go, 2017 world championship bronze medalist Anouk Vetter of the Netherlands leads with 3968 points.
She is 27 points clear of Noor Vidts of Belgium and 47 ahead of defending Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam.
— Additional reporting by the Associated Press
