| rdfs:comment | - BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- Australian star Jodie Henry won't defend her 100-meter freestyle Olympic title in Beijing because of a muscle imbalance in her pelvic area. The 24-year-old Henry, who set a world record in the 100 in the Athens Games, said Friday that she has withdrawn from the Australian championships in March in Sydney, the meet doubling this year as the Olympic trials. "It has been a very hard decision to make as the Olympics is every swimmer's goal," said Henry, who also led Australia to gold medals at Athens in 400 freestyle and medley relays.
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| abstract | - BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- Australian star Jodie Henry won't defend her 100-meter freestyle Olympic title in Beijing because of a muscle imbalance in her pelvic area. The 24-year-old Henry, who set a world record in the 100 in the Athens Games, said Friday that she has withdrawn from the Australian championships in March in Sydney, the meet doubling this year as the Olympic trials. "It has been a very hard decision to make as the Olympics is every swimmer's goal," said Henry, who also led Australia to gold medals at Athens in 400 freestyle and medley relays. "I have been struggling with an injury which has meant that I haven't been able to train as much as I would have liked, and as much as I have needed to, to be ready for the Olympic trials." Henry said she is not retiring. Doctors have told her that with the right treatment -- a combination of exercises and physiotherapy -- she could return for next year's world championships in Rome and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India. At last year's world titles in Melbourne, Henry finished sixth in the 100 free. "It's a shame for Jodie and a great loss to the Australian team," Australian head coach Alan Thompson said. "She has become a great leader for us, both individually and particularly in our relay teams over the past six years."
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