Alice Tai To Miss Tokyo Paralympic Games Because Of Elbow Injury

Alice Tai: Photo Courtesy: Georgie Kerr, British Swimming

Alice Tai, who won seven gold medals at the 2019 World Championships, has been forced to withdraw from the Paralympic Games in Tokyo with an elbow injury.

Tai won gold as part of the British quartet who claimed the women’s 34pts 4x100m medley relay and took S10 100m backstroke bronze on her Paralympic debut in Rio five years ago.

The 22-year-old attempted to return to competitive action at April’s British Para-Swimming International Meet.

However, after ongoing consultation with a specialist surgeon, she has decided the best decision for her career is to withdraw from Tokyo 2020 consideration and focus on a full recovery.

Confirming her withdrawal from selection for the Paralympic Games which run from 24 August-5 September, Tai said:

“Competing at Tokyo 2020 has been my main goal for the last five years, so it’s devastating that I’ll be missing the Games later this year.

“The decision to withdraw was extremely difficult to accept but my health is ultimately more important than competing.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with an incredible core team who exhausted all conservative treatments to keep me in the pool; it’s comforting to know there was nothing more that could’ve been done.

“Even if I’m not racing myself, I’ll still be watching the Games and cheering everyone on from home so best of luck to you guys!”

Chris Furber, British Para-Swimming Performance Director commented:

“It’s been a cruel decision for Alice to face, however I have every confidence she has the determination to bounce back from this setback and will go on to achieve further success at major meets over the next few years on the journey to Paris 2024.

“We’ll miss her presence among the team this summer – Alice holds a wealth of experience and is one of the characters in the squad many of our newer members look up to, but I’m sure despite her own personal disappointment she will be wishing every success to her team-mates in Tokyo.”

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