Heptathlon Athlete Noor Vidts Ends Season Due to Injury
Heptathlon athlete Noor Vidts has announced the end of her season due to a persistent hamstring injury, which she confirmed Sunday evening on VRT. The Olympic bronze medallist will miss the Memorial Van Damme and next month’s World Championships in Tokyo, reports 24brussels.
The 29-year-old Vidts, who secured bronze at the Paris Olympics, has faced ongoing hamstring tendon issues since the event. “Since then, I have been training in pain, and the rehabilitation process has been very slow,” Vidts remarked.
After discussions with her team, she concluded that cutting her season short was the best decision to avoid exacerbating her injury, which has not fully healed. This decision reflects her commitment to her long-term health and competitive future.
Vidts’ withdrawal has significant implications for Belgian athletics, leaving Nafi Thiam as the only possible contender for a heptathlon medal at the World Championships in Tokyo this September. Thiam, a triple Olympic champion, made her return from injury at the Belgian Championships earlier this month.
However, Thiam’s participation in the Tokyo event remains uncertain as she has yet to sign the Belgian Athletics Federation’s code of conduct. Athletes must complete this step by the 24th of August to be eligible for selection.
The dispute surrounding Thiam revolves around conflicting sponsorship agreements. As reported by Le Soir, her personal clothing sponsor, Nike, conflicts with the federation’s contract with Asics. Compliance with the code entails commitments regarding image rights, which contradict her existing sponsorship obligations.
As the conflict unfolds, Thiam is continuing her preparations. Speaking at a hurdles event in Leuven, she expressed satisfaction with her training progress but refrained from commenting on the ongoing dispute. Thiam is also slated to compete in the long jump at the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels later this week.
