GOLD COAST, Australia—A Commonwealth Games already blighted by high-profile withdrawals suffered a hammer blow on Thursday, when the hosts’ top track champion Sally Pearson was forced to pull out with a serious Achilles injury.
The 2012 Olympic champion Pearson, who won a second world title in the 100 meters hurdles at London last year, had been the face of the Gold Coast event, and far and away the top drawcard for athletics at Carrara Stadium.
