The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS 

Chief Sports Editor 

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

PARIS, France — As the elder statesman of the crew, team captain Donald Thomas knew that he had to have an exceptional performance in order to advance to the men’s high jump final at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Competing in his fifth Olympics at the Stade de France yesterday morning, the 40-year-old Thomas was one of three competitors who failed to clear the opening height of 7-feet, 0 1/2-inches or 2.15 metres.

As one of the 15 competitors in Group A, Thomas suffered a recurring left hamstring injury that prevented him from continuing to compete as American Shelby McEwen took the top qualifying spot over Mutaz Barshim of Qatar, both at 7-5 1/2 (2.27m).

The 2007 world champion and 2010 Commonwealth Games champion said he was quite disappointed in his performance because he came into the games feeling quite well.

“Coming into the competition, I felt really confident and the day before I got on the plane to come here, during practice I thought I had some cramps, but it wasn’t a cramp,” Thomas said. “I didn’t realise how severe it was until I went out there.

“I just wasn’t myself. I couldn’t apply the pressure like I usually do. It’s no excuse. I showed up and I tried my best. My best just wasn’t good enough to get through.”

During his past week here, Thomas said he was working with the physiotherapist and the polyclinic in the games village in the hopes of getting him ready to compete.

“I tried to prepare as best as I could, but it still didn’t work out,” he stated. “It’s a significant injury, so I’m really disappointed, especially because the height that it took to get into the final, I jumped them in my sleep.

“I know if I didn’t suffer this injury, I would have been able to get into the final and compete.”

During practice here, Thomas said he jumped around 2.26m, so he was highly disappointed that the injury hampered his progress here because he didn’t feel the “confidence” in his legs.

If he didn’t feel like he had an opportunity to get to the final, Thomas said he would not have made the trip here. He said it was definitely not a true reflection of himself.

“I’m not done yet,” he insisted.

“I could never go out like this. I don’t know what’s next, but that isn’t the last time that you will see DT out there.”

Thomas, a former basketball player who switched to high jumping on a dare from one of his college friends, made his first Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, China, and participated in each successive games in 2012 in London, England, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

It’s not certain if he will hang around for the 2028 games in Los Angeles, California, or take another shot at his 10th World Championships, scheduled for 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.