World 5000 metre silver medallist Marta Dominguez of Spain could miss out on the Athens Olympics because of an Achilles' tendon injury, according to her coach Mariano Diez.
"Marta hasn't been training for almost two months," Diez was quoted as saying by Spanish sports daily AS.
"She has missed between 1,500 and 2,000 kilometres of training and hasn't competed since April 17, so the situation would be serious even if she was able to start training immediately."
Dominguez's manager Jose Alonso conceded time was running out for the Spaniard, who was second in the 3000 metres in the world indoor championships in Budapest in March.
"She is keeping fit by going to the gym and swimming, but with every day that goes by I am more pessimistic," he said. "However, she is mentally very strong and we can't rule her out completely just yet."
Dominguez, who won the European 5000m title in 2002 ahead of Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan, was one of Spain's best medal hopes in the women's track and field events at the Athens Olympics.
Filed by James Boylan
