Canada is in an unprecedented position with four track and field world champions poised for the Summer Games, as athletes nationwide gather in Montreal for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic trials to secure their spots on Team Canada.
Camryn Rogers and Ethan Katzberg are the world champions in hammer throw, Marco Arop holds the title for the 800 meters, and Pierce LePage won the decathlon gold at last summer’s world championships. However, CBC Sports reports that LePage, who has participated in only one event this outdoor season, will not be competing in the trials at Complexe Sportif Claude Robillard.
Athletics Canada has granted LePage a medical exemption from competing. According to the selection criteria, this exemption is given only if an athlete has suffered an injury or illness. While participation in the trials is generally required for Olympic and Paralympic team nomination, athletes can be excused with a written medical exemption from Athletics Canada’s chief medical officer.
“The AC CMO will only grant medical exemptions from competing at the Canadian championships if the athlete has sustained an injury or illness preventing them from competing,” states the Athletics Canada document. LePage has chosen not to comment on his absence, raising further questions about his health as the Paris Games approach.
In May, LePage withdrew from the Hypo Meeting in Götzis, Austria, an event he won the previous year, without providing a reason. In early June, he competed at a meet in Guelph, Ontario, posting a time of 51.70 seconds in the 400m, significantly slower than his personal best.
LePage has battled several injuries, including a torn patellar tendon in his left knee while winning silver at the 2022 world championships. Damian Warner, the defending Olympic decathlon champion, secured his eighth Hypo title in May and appears to be in top form for the upcoming Games. Athletes can qualify for the Olympics by meeting the Olympic standard set by World Athletics or through the World Athletics ranking system based on points. However, they must still deliver exceptional performances during the trials to secure their team spots, with an official announcement expected shortly after the trials.