The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

DOHA, Qatar — It wasn’t the type of finish she had anticipated, but as she hobbled across the finish line in the semi-finals of the women’s 200 metres, Anthonique Strachan knew that something was wrong and was just hoping her right leg was not adversely affected.

With about 20-30 metres to go as she approached the finish line at the Khalifa International Stadium, Strachan’s legs buckled and she slowed down, pulling up as she ended up in eighth place in the last of three heats in the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s 17th World Championships.

Not sure exactly what happened, Strachan said she will have to get some tests done to determine whether or not she will need any minor or major rehabilitation on her return home.

Although she was clocked in 25.44 seconds, the time didn’t matter. She was more concerned about her health as she received medical attention.

Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, the heat winner in 22.16, was the first of the field to come over and console Strachan, who was grimacing in pain.

“When I was coming out of the blocks, I felt something, but I tried to relax coming off the curve,” she reflected a day after she was unable to talk to the media as she immediately sought medical help after the race. “In the process of building up trying to come off the curve, I felt it even more.

“I still felt I was able to stay and finish the race, but as I came down the home stretch, I knew that I couldn’t pressure it anymore, so I just tried to get to the finish line.”

Strachan, 26, said she went to the medical station where they iced her leg down. She stayed the rest of the night in pain. On Wednesday, she was unable to walk on it, so Strachan said she has to take some rest and hopefully she can move around before she left Doha on October 7.

“It is what it is. honestly, I don’t even want to look back at it or to dwell on it,” Strachan said. “I haven’t even watched the replay. People have sent a video of the race to me, but I haven’t watched it. It was just that painful.”

The Carifta Games triple gold medalist and IAAF Under-20 World Championships’ double sprint 100/200m champion in 2012 in Barcelona, Spain and later recognized at the IAAF’s Athlete of the Year awards banquet in Barcelona, Spain as the Female Rising Star of the year, was hoping to make her first senior global championship final.

Having switched her training camp to Kingston, Jamaica under coach Stephen Francis of the MVP Club, Strachan was anticipating joining Tynia Gaither, who advanced out of heat two with a second place finish in 22.57 for sixth place overall.

When she leave Doha, Strachan said she will get it properly checked out to make sure that there was no serious injury that will prevent her from continuing her preparation for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo Japan.