Johnson-Thompson and Asher-Smith out of Commonwealths

Johnson-Thompson and Asher-Smith out of CommonwealthsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Johnson-Thompson won silver at the 2024 Olympics and is a two-time world championByMatthew HenryBBC Sport journalist in GlasgowPublished2 minutes agoOlympic silver medallist Katarina Johnson-Thompson has pulled out of the Commonwealth Games because of injury.The 33-year-old heptathlete was due to compete at her third Commonwealth Games, having won gold on the Gold Coast in 2018 and at Birmingham in 2022.Team England gave no details of her issue, only confirming she had been replaced in the squad by Niamh Emerson, who took bronze behind Johnson-Thompson in 2018.Dina Asher-Smith and Olympic silver medalist Matt Hudson-Smith, who were both set to run relays in Glasgow, have also been replaced, as has Asher-Smith's sprint team-mate Daryll Neita.The withdrawal of such high-profile names is a significant blow to the event, on the day the opening ceremony takes place.Renee Regis, Ebuka Nwokeji, Tara Simpson-Sullivan and Tom Keen have all been added to England's athletics squad in Glasgow. The track and field competition begins on Monday.Is 2026 the Commonwealth Games' last dance or a future-proofing revamp?Published6 hours agoRenee adds to Regis legacy with first UK title Published15 FebruaryEngland's Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson had already skipped the event to prioritise the European Championships, which begin in Birmingham on 10 August, leading many to question the event's significance in the sporting calendar. The squad for the European Championships is expected to be announced next week.St Lucia's 100m Olympic champion Julien Alfred has also pulled out of the Glasgow Games, while Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh, one of the sport's biggest stars, is favouring the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.With the likes of the United States, China and major European nations not part of the Commonwealths, some athletes favour other, more co...