By Canadian Press

Defending champ Emmanuel withdraws from 200 metres with calf tightness

Jul 29, 2019 | 1:03 PM

MONTREAL — Canadian title No. 13 will have to wait for Crystal Emmanuel.

The 27-year-old from Toronto withdrew from the 200 metres at the Canadian track and field championships on Saturday, a day after she raced to victory in the 100 metres — her 12th national title in junior and senior combined.

Emmanuel, the Canadian record-holder in the event and the defending national champion, called the injury more “annoying” than serious.

“After the (100) final I was a bit tight, so warming up this morning was as bit on the tight side so we didn’t want to risk anything,” she said.

The decision to withdraw comes a week before Emmanuel is scheduled to run both the 100 and 200 metres at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.  

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“She wanted to defend her title and put on a show, but it’s smart, now that we’re getting down to it, you’ve got to make smart decisions,” said Canadian team coach Glenroy Gilbert.  

The Claude Robillard crowd was treated to a show in Friday night’s 100 metres, Emmanuel’s fourth consecutive national win in the distance. The demonstrative Emmanuel let out a whoop when she crossed the finish line, before jogging back down the track to pose for the crowd.

“Every time I touch a track I try to not prove a point but show that every time I touch a track it’s going to be something new,” she said. “Doing it 12 times, one time, I’m just trying to show I’m strong.”

Emmanuel is indeed the strongest female sprinter Canada has had in decades, finishing fifth at last year’s Commonwealth Games and seventh at the world championships in 2017. She was the first Canadian woman to qualify for the world 200 final in 33 years. 

In 2017, the five-foot-six sprinter broke Marita Payne-Wiggins’ 34-year-old Canadian record in the 200 metres.

Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press