Canadian sprinter Kim Hyacinthe called it disappointing and frustrating that she won't be competing in the Rio Olympics.
The Terrebonne, Que., native suffered a pulled quadriceps muscle late last month in a 200-metre event at the London Anniversary Games. While she was cleared by a doctor to resume competition, she failed an "event-specific" fitness test in Toronto this week that she felt was almost impossible to pass.
Because she fell short she was withdrawn from the Games.
The test was to match her time over 100 metres from the relay at last year's world championships. Running alone on a track with no crowd atmosphere and no competition, she felt she had little chance to succeed.
"I had the green light from the doctor that I was ready to run in Rio, but I had to prove fitness," said Hyacinthe. "I understand that, but it was extremely hard to do.
"You can never run faster in practice than in competition."
Asked if she was bitter, Hyacinthe said "slightly. Especially that I'm not taking anyone else's spot. It's just frustrating."
Hyacinthe was named to the Canadian team in July following the track and field trials in the 200 metres, and as part of the 4x100-metre relay pool. There are normally six runners on the relay squad, four of whom are chosen to race.
She competed at last summer's Pan American Games where she won bronze in the 4x100-metre relay and placed sixth in the 200 metres.
Not going to Rio was even more disappointing for Hyacinthe because she also missed out on the 2012 Olympics due to an injury.
"It's been rough," said Hyacinthe. "I'm really, really disappointed, especially coming a couple of days before my first event."
Instead, she will watch on television and cheer on her teammates, although she will "feel a little sting when the 200 goes."
She hopes to take another shot at making it the Olympics when Tokyo is the host city in 2020.
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