Jamaican sprinter Christopher Taylor taken off in wheelchair after race
Jamaican sprinter Christopher Taylor faced a medical situation after qualifying for the finals of the men’s 400 m race at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Taylor finished second in the second semifinal of the 400 m sprint with a time of 44.92. He was one of eight runners to qualify for the final, but he had to be taken away in a wheelchair afterwards.
Christopher Taylor of Jamaica is wheeled off the track after his run in the Men's 400m semi final at the Athletics events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, 02 August 2021. epa / Wu Hong #epaphotos #visualizingtheworld pic.twitter.com/IUkGGbJAvW
— european pressphoto agency – sports photos (@epa_sport) August 2, 2021
What was the reason? NBC’s Mike Tirico said that Taylor had an asthma attack after the race.
However, the Jamaica Gleaner’s Andre Lowe says Taylor was taken away as a precaution due to his asthma. He said the sprinter was “fine” after the race.
Christopher Taylor is fine. He was helped off the track by medical personnel after his 44.92 in the 400m semi-final as a precaution due to his asthma. However, he was walking through the Mixed Zone shortly afterwards and spoke to us about his qualification to the final
— Andre Lowe (@AndreLoweJA) August 2, 2021
Taylor said he already felt like a winner just by qualifying for the final.
Christopher Taylor:
“Honestly, this is an amazing feeling. I have had to overcome a lot of injuries and so on. Whatever happens in the final, I feel like a winner already!” @JamaicaGleaner
— Andre Lowe (@AndreLoweJA) August 2, 2021
This is the 21-year-old’s Olympics debut. He said in an Instagram post that he was “doing well” and focusing on the final.