Bianca Salming breaks the EM competition. Her first day in the heptathlon was tough and she also has a nagging back problem.
"I'm clearly disappointed," says Salming in a statement.
Bianca Salming was ranked 18th after the first four events. She didn't even get to compete in her favorite event, high jump, and only cleared 1.77 meters. Before today's three final events, she chooses to withdraw, as she is also bothered by back problems.
"I'm clearly disappointed. I felt like I was on the right track yesterday," she says.
"I'll keep the hope up and believe that my form is on the right track. I'll take with me that my hurdle form is back. I hope, among other things, for the SM."
She took a break from the heptathlon last summer to focus on high jump instead. But the void became too great and she chose to return to the heptathlon this year.
Since she started heptathlon training a bit late, she set EM as her only chance to possibly qualify for the Olympics.
With the failure in EM, there will be no Olympics for Salming this year.
