Olympic champion Jenn Suhr injured when pole breaks during vault

Published Aug. 8, 2014 9:33 a.m. ET

foxsports

Olympic pole vault champion Jenn Suhr has injured her hand, torso and neck after her pole snapped during a practice session at her western New York training facility, and will miss several upcoming meets.

The 32-year-old Suhr was working out Wednesday at her home in Riga, outside Rochester, when her pole shattered halfway into her ascent on a training jump. She slammed into the protective padding and injured her left wrist and hand, ribs, neck and left shoulder. X-rays revealed no broken bones.

Suhr won gold at the 2012 London Olympics and plans to defend her title at the Rio Summer Games in 2016.

Rick Suhr, her husband and coach, tells the Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester that the injuries will keep her from competing later this month in London and Switzerland, and Morocco in early September.