Injury rules Melissa Hauschildt out of Kona 2014 debut
“Freak accident” to her pectoral muscle forces two-time Ironman 70.3 world champion to withdraw from the start line
With less than a week to go until this year’s Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, Australia’s two-time Ironman 70.3 world champion Melissa Hauschildt has reluctantly pulled out due to a torn pectoral muscle.
Hauschildt, 31, picked up the injury due to an over-physical pre-race massage ahead of this year’s Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Canada, and was forced to withdraw on the run after struggling through the swim and bike.
“Nine days out from race day and I still cannot swim more than a few hundred yards,” said Hauschildt from her base in Boulder, Colorado. “The diagnosis from the doctor in Boulder after x-rays and ultrasound is a torn pec, intercostals and connective tissue and a subluxed rib. It’s on the mend. I can now ride completely pain free. I can run, although fast running flares it up a little.”
The Australian athlete decided halfway through this season to move up to longer distance racing, and won Ironman Australia last May before deciding to make her debut in Hawaii. “I guess it was not my turn this year after the freak accident,” she now says. “I’m so unlucky but I will live to fight another day.”
(Main image: Delly Carr / Ironman)
Check out our predictions for the top 10 women at this year’s Kona here
Jamie Beach
Former digital editor 
