In a stunning turn of events and devastating news for the Bahamas, 2020 Tokyo Olympics 400m champion Steven Gardiner will not start in the 400m for the Bahamas at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where some of the Caribbean’s best athletes have suffered injuries.

Gardiner missed the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon with a foot injury and suffered a injury in the semi-finals of the 2023 World Championships in Budapest last year. He was considered the best shot at a medal for the Bahamas at these Olympic Games as Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the islands’ other 400m star, is not in the best of health this season having withdrawn from the Bahamas national championships last month.

News of Gardiner’s withdrawal comes on the heels of withdrawals of Jamaican star sprinters Shericka Jackson from both the 100m and 200m and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from the semi-finals of the 100m dash on Saturday.