Filipino hurdler John Cabang Tolentino withdrew from Heat 2 of the men’s 110-meter hurdles repechage round because of an injury. His physical therapist confirmed that Tolentino had been experiencing pain in his left adductor and hip flexor since yesterday.
Despite attempting to warm up this morning, Tolentino informed his coach, Martin Dela Fuente, that he could not compete due to the persistent pain. An MRI later confirmed that he was suffering from muscle strain. There is currently no timeline for when Tolentino can resume training.
After his Olympic debut, the 23-year-old athlete is set to participate in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games next year.
Heat 2 of the 110-meter hurdles faced additional challenges, including the disqualification of Kazakhstan’s David Yefremov for a false start and crowd interference that delayed the race twice. Ultimately, Brazil’s Rafael Pereira and France’s Raphael Mohammed secured first and second place, respectively, advancing to the semifinals.