The 27-year-old Portuguese athlete would have been one of the major contenders at London 2012 along with Britain's former world champion Phillips Idowu and the current world champion Christian Taylor of the United States but collapsed in agony while warming up for his first indoor event of the year in Lisbon.

Idowu reacted via Twitter: "I wish him a speedy recovery.

"Nelson Evora's injury is in no way good news for me. I want to compete and win against the best."

The 2012 Olympic triple jump field looked briefly as if it might also lack the world indoor champion Teddy Tamgho after the Frenchman, who missed last year's IAAF World Championships with a broken ankle, faced a 12-month ban following an altercation with a female athlete at a training camp in southern France in October.

But the 22-year-old, who holds the world indoor record of 17.92 metres and has produced the third furthest outdoor jump of all time with 17.98, got away with six months of his punishment suspended and is due to return to action on May 18.

Evora's latest problem occurred once again in his right shinbone, which had required an operation in 2010 because of a stress fracture.

The devastated Portuguese commented: "Given the necessary recovery time, it is out of the question to take part in the Olympics.

"But don't anyone think this injury means that I am finished. I have a lot of competitions ahead of me.

"The popping sound at the track was a recurrence of a previous injury, but it is not as serious as first imagined.

"I feel mentally strong and now my priority is to heal myself to return."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
December 2011: France ban London 2012 gold medal hope for six months
December 2011: Training camp clash could cost Idowu rival London 2012 appearance