Tragedy at Tom Jones Memorial As Matthew Hudson-Smith’s Career Takes a U-Turn

Matthew Hudson-Smith’s career has witnessed several ups and downs. Sprinting was not his forte as he started his journey being a worker in the supermarket. But his optional sprinting encounters made the British athlete prominent. However, in a turn of fate, his career took another dip after the Tokyo Olympic failure. While Matthew Hudson-Smith’s injury kept him away from the track, the lack of sponsorship and the Pandemic had made him penniless. That even reached a painful extent.

“I had huge mental health issues in 2021. Not a lot of people know this, but I literally attempted suicide.” But he bounced back from that to win three major individual medals at three different outdoor championships in 2023. Sadly, the situation seems to have taken a tragic turn once again at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic 2024 with an apparent injury scare.

Having a thorough experience with Achilles tendonitis, Matthew couldn’t have afforded an injury when the Olympic trial was months away. But as per the update from Rori Dunk, the 4x European champion underwent another injury just before the 400m event in Gainesville. However, no official statement has come yet. But his bowing out from the event proved that the injury might be deep enough. Previously, he managed to obliterate such injury and carry on with his athletic spree.

In the London Diamond League last year, Matthew Hudson-Smith participated with an ailing foot. He left the track in a wheelchair after grabbing the fourth position. Later, in the Budapest Worlds as well, the ailing Achilles tendonitis kept disturbing him. However, the athlete couldn’t give up as he was taking all the competitions for his Paris Olympics practice. But presently, that dream seems to be bleak as it took a similar shape as his Tokyo Olympics turn once did. But he might not give up with one solid support system behind him. 

The boost in determination with mentorship 

Matthew Hudson-Smith’s athletic persona had received a higher degree under the tutelage of mentor Christine Ohuruogu. The 3x world champion helped the British sprinter to push further. Quoting Ohuruohu, Hudson-Snith had once said, “Christine Ohuruogu says, you have the highs and you have the lows. But sometimes the best is to be even-keeled. Because being even-keeled makes you likely to perform better, because you don’t want to be too up, you just want to be in the middle where you can perform to the best of your ability.”

So, despite having a “mashed up Achilles”, Matthew could attempt back-to-back medals in World Athletics. In Oregon, he earned his bronze medal in the 400 m. That medal was converted into silver in Budapest. Taking cognizance of that, the 29-year-old sprinter said something valuable. 

“I got a bronze last year, I got a silver this year – so next time, gold,” he claimed. Eventually, the gold was his attempt at the Paris Olympics. After missing the Tokyo occasion, Matthew Hudson-Smith targeted the Paris Olympics thoroughly. The Tom Jones Memorial Classic 2024 was about to add an episode in that ambitious chapter. However, as of now, his injury status has put a question mark on that. But the sprinter knows what it means to lose sponsors and, ultimately, a career. So a mighty push to come back to the tracks might come from him.