Track: Donalson quits the Games

By EUGENE BINGHAM

Sprinter Chris Donaldson's Olympics are over even before they began.

On Monday night the 25-year-old pulled out of the 200m heats after failing to recover from the injury that forced him to withdraw from the 100m last week.

Kiwi team medical staff assessed Donaldson's Achilles tendon injury after a training session yesterday and decided he was not fit to compete.

"He pulled up sore at the end of the session and after consultation with medical staff declared himself unfit," said a New Zealand team spokesman.

The Dunedin son of movie-maker Roger Donaldson has struggled for fitness since he arrived in Sydney a fortnight ago.

He was carrying a hamstring injury when he checked into the Olympic village. During his recovery from that, he strained the sheath that surrounds the Achilles tendon.

He had been hoping to improve on his 100m and 200m performances from the Atlanta Olympics and was on track to lower his personal best times.