As reported last March, 2015 World Championships two-time silver medalist Lauren Boyle of New Zealand opted out of her nation’s qualification trials for Budapest due to a hip injury that’s been nagging the Kiwi since pre-Rio. Despite not competing in Auckland to vie for qualification, her country’s World Championship selection team was set to allow Boyle’s race times in Rio to be considered for Budapest.
However, the 29-year-old freestyle distance specialist has now officially withdrawn from this year’s World Championships meet having undergone hip surgery in late April. Despite having won two silver medals at the 2015 World Championships, New Zealander Lauren Boyle wound up not finaling at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Boyle back in her home nation under new High Performance squad coach Jerry Olszweski and has committed to heavy rehab to return to form as quickly as possible.
“I have had wonderful support from the High Performance Sport medical team. In the end we all acknowledged that surgery was the only option,” said Boyle. “I am grateful for the selectors for their vote of confidence for Budapest but these last couple of months have been dark times with this injury and I am pleased to finally have it sorted.”
Boyle’s announcement follows the withdrawal of Australian Kyle Chalmers, who revealed he was no longer competing in Budapest to undergo surgery for his SVT heart condition.
