Rio Olympic 1500m gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz has a hamstring injury and will miss the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, which he has said would be his final trials.
“How do you say goodbye to a sport you’ve competed at and obsessed over for half your life?” was posted on Centrowitz’s social media. “Unfortunately, I won’t be having the fairytale ending I was hoping to have this week at my fourth Olympic Trials. I got sick right after the LA Grand Prix meet (on May 17-18) that took me out for a week and then strained my hamstring the following week. It’s been equally difficult physically and mentally the last 3 weeks staying optimistic that I’d be able to still compete. Unfortunately I ran out of time. My hamstring still won’t allow me to run race pace intervals. But I am able to jog now. I still traveled to Eugene to hang out and celebrate with family and friends who came to watch me race. So if you see me around Eugene the next few days, don’t be bashful. It’s not goodbye. It’s see ya later…..”
Centrowitz, 34, is the lone active U.S. male runner who has won individual Olympic gold. In March, he said he planned to retire after his 2024 season.
In 2016, Centrowitz became the first U.S. Olympic 1500m gold medalist in 108 years. He has competed in three Olympics and won world championships 1500m medals in 2013 (silver) and 2011 (bronze).
TRACK AND FIELD TRIALS: Broadcast Schedule
Centrowitz placed 10th in the 1500m at the July 2023 USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships after not racing from November 2021 to December 2022 and having ACL surgery in May 2022.
The men’s 1500m first round at the Olympic Trials is on the first day of the meet Friday at the University of Oregon, Centrowitz’s alma mater.
The field includes American mile record holder Yared Nuguse, Tokyo Olympic Trials winner Cole Hocker and Hobbs Kessler, who last fall won the first World Athletics road mile world title.
Three men will make the team for Paris after Monday’s final. They must have the Olympic qualifying standard time or a high enough world ranking.
Centrowitz had neither the standard nor the world ranking but could have attained the standard at trials.
